Stars of Destiny
by TheWordMasterofFiction
Summary: As an evil force threatens the Brawlers, Master Hand sends a group of individuals to locate allies from other worlds. Among these individuals is a celestial princess who searches not only for fighters, but for hope and her true destiny... Rated T for violence, character death, and brief language. *Now Complete*
1. Tears of Starlight

**Hello there!**

**This is my first ever fanfic on this site-one that I've been working on for almost two years, with an idea I have been fiddling around with even BEFORE I got my hands on Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I have always believed that Princess Rosalina should be a member of the SSB team, and I'm surprised that most fanfics either include her in cameos or leave her out of the entire story. This just doesn't seem fair, especially since she is a pretty awesome character in her own right. This story means a lot to me, and I hope you enjoy it!**

***Nintendo owns everything***

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><p>Prologue: Tears of Starlight<p>

The sky was raining fire upon her home, burning with a light larger than the brightest star. Smoke crept into every corner, filling the air with an evil stench as the fires spread their flaming fingers. Rosalina watched as the Lumas-the race of star creatures she had watched over for so long- cried out in terror and fled the Comet Observatory, many becoming shooting stars and racing to the planet below to escape destruction. She looked up with sorrow as a dark brown Luma approached her, eyes wide with panic as he spoke. "Rosalina, the Lumas are fleeing the Observatory! Shouldn't we defend it to give them all time to escape?"

The princess closed her eyes, as if trying to block out the dancing flames in front of her. "Whoever is attacking has thrice the power we do. To defend ourselves would only mean that we would all die."

"Yet there must be another way!"

"No, Polari." As the princess opened her eyes, Polari could see that Rosalina was trying desperately to hold back tears. Only once had he ever seen her cry-which meant that this current situation was dire indeed. "There is no other way. We must leave the Observatory before it is too late. Find the other Lumas and take them someplace safe. I will meet you there."

Slowly she floated past Polari, who called out as she drifted near the edge of the Observatory. "Wait! Where are you going?"

Rosalina turned to look at her friend, raising her star wand above her head. "I must go to warn the others of this attack. If I am the first to fall…" Here, she paused and looked out at the cosmos that lay before her before continuing. "…then everyone is in grave danger as we speak."

Pointing her wand to the stars above, Rosalina watched as a clear blue bubble surrounded her, floating away from the Observatory slowly enough that she could still see Polari staring after her, amid the flames and smoke that surrounded him. A blast shook the Observatory, and without warning Rosalina rocketed down to Earth, leaving a trail of crystal tear drops floating in her path amid the stars.

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><p><strong>Feel free to go on to the next chapters, or leave a small review below-reviews, no matter how criticizing, help me become a better writer, so go ahead and help me out!<strong>


	2. An Unexpected Visitor

**So, I'll try not to lose your interest with some boring talk this time. Kirby fans...sorry about this. I have nothing against Kirby-love that little dude-but this must be done.**

**Once again- I OWN NOTHING!**

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><p>Chapter One: An Unexpected Visitor<p>

"I'm not quite sure about this, guys." The small Hylian boy dressed in green looked as his two companions, his large cat-like eyes betraying the nervousness he felt deep down inside him.

One of his friends, who wore a red baseball hat over his short black hair, sighed in exasperation. "Come ON, Toony! Don't be a wuss now!"

"I'm not a wuss." The boy in green muttered defensively. "Besides, if you're so keen on it, Ness, why don't YOU do it?"

The other boy, whose name was Lucas, sighed and shook his head. "Because, you and Link and the only ones who have bombs. So you have to do this, Toony."

"Or else…" Ness grinned.

"Alright already!" Toon Link groaned and peered over the bush where they were hiding. From here, one could see the large garden that was part of the Smash Mansion, where Toon Link and others currently lived. It was a beautiful place really, where the Brawlers who weren't fighting could relax in peace.

That is, when the boys weren't pulling pranks on them.

Today, the garden was quiet, most of the Brawlers deciding to take refuge inside from the summer heat that had descended upon them. In the distance was the large lake that bordered the small world Master Hand had created for the Brawlers to inhabit. Beside that was the Dark Forest, named because of the strange dark shadows the trees cast-and, some said, because of the shadowy figures said to live in the woods. Even now, the shadows crawled across the lake, seeming to grow in the afternoon sun.

"Well? Do you see him?"

Ness's impatient hiss brought a sigh from Toon Link, who looked around the garden in vain. "No, I don't. Maybe he went inside?" Toon Link suggested.

"Or maybe he's standing right behind you."

Ness gave a girlish squeal as a gruff voice muttered behind him, causing Lucas and Toon Link to turn in surprise. Standing over them was the soldier-and their target- Solid Snake, who looked upon the three with cold eyes. "And just what were you planning on doing?" He growled, glancing at each of them with his piercing gaze.

"Ummm….nothing sir," Lucas squeaked, as Ness nodded his head rapidly, mumbling out something that sounded like "nothing...nothing at all…" in the process.

Toon Link, however, didn't say anything, focused instead on something he had spotted out of the corner of his eye. Amid the clouds in the sky, he was sure he had seen something flash...

Slowly he rose with his eyes still fixed on the sky, walking out from behind the bush to stand in the middle of the garden with his head tilted back as strange streaks of light crossed the sky, breaking through clouds and descending over the horizon with incredible speed.

Snake noticed it too, and looked down at Ness and Lucas. "You two go inside and get Master Hand. He needs to see this." He ordered with a note of urgency in his voice, watching the two race inside before turning his attention to the sky, and the strange spectacle that was taking place there…

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><p>Master Hand, however, was currently involved in another pressing matter: Kirby's cooking skills.<p>

Kirby, ever since his first day at the Mansion, had taken it upon himself to make the best food the Brawlers had ever tasted. Master Hand was happy to make him the head chef of the kitchen, as long as Kirby promised two things: he had to resist from eating the other Brawler's meals…and he couldn't roast anyone in his pot.

Surprisingly, rule No.2 was broken numerous times. Every day.

"Yes, I understand you're upset," Master Hand 'spoke' to the angry pink puffball calmly, "but that doesn't give you the right to cook anyone in your pot."

"Poyo." Kirby muttered, hate filling his usually adorable black eyes as he glared at a wet Luigi, who cowered behind Master Hand.

"Luigi only wanted to help, Kirby! You could have at least let him heat up some water or something!"

"Poyo."

"Oh, I don't think he burned that-"

Kirby held up one of his copper pots- except this one had a large hole in the bottom, which had melted slightly. "POYO."

"Oh…I suppose he did burn your water then-"

"POYO."

"And ruined your favorite pot…"

Peach piped up from the corner of the kitchen, where she was making pie for later. "You forgot to mention he locked Ganondorf in the freezer-OH MY GOODNESS HE'S STILL IN THERE!" Dropping the bowl of batter she held, Peach raced over to the freezer and unlocked the doors, throwing them open to display Ganondorf-who had frozen solid. His eyes were fixed on Luigi in a glare of fury.

"Oops." Luigi hung his head. So much for him learning how to cook.

Master Hand sighed. "Well, I really don't know what to say to that…"

"MAAAAAAAAAAASTER HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNND!"

Ness and Lucas ran into the kitchen, eyes wide as they raced up to Master Hand. "Oh, hello boys. What's the matter?" Master Hand asked cheerily, until he saw their pale faces.

"It's…Snake…there's….there's…." Ness wheezed as Lucas finished for him. "The sky….strange light…..you got to see…"

Peach gasped as she peered out the kitchen window, watching as the streaks of light shot across the sky. "They're shooting stars…but they're falling during the daytime…" She murmured, before racing out of the kitchen to see.

Master Hand turned to the boys. "Where is Snake?"

"Out in the garden with Toony-Toony saw it first. Master Hand, are we in danger?" Ness asked, looking up at the hand with panic.

"I-"

Suddenly, the entire Mansion began to shake as a large roar filled the air, sending the boys sprawling onto the floor. Master Hand raced-or rather floated-outside in panic, bursting out of the Mansion to float beside Snake and Toon Link, who stared up at the sky. A giant sphere of light, so bright it almost blinded them, soared low in the air, growing larger as it approached them.

"What IS that?" Snake gasped, as more Brawlers began pouring out of the Mansion to see what was going on.

With a large explosion-like sound, the ball of light crashed into the grass a few yards from where they stood, causing Toon Link to jump backwards as it let out one last flash of light. Then, as the smoke cleared and the rumbling ceased, the Brawlers slowly uncovered their eyes to see what exactly had landed in their midst.

Peach was the first to recognize what it really was. "Rosalina?"

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><p><strong>I WILL try to update by the end of this weekbeginning of next. Right now, I'm trying to edit Chapter 3 before I convert the darn thing and stick it on here. Until then...well...do SOMETHING, I guess. Oh, and don't forget that reviews are extremely appreciated-but no hurtful flaming please!**


	3. Rosalina's Arrival

**Okay, so I had originally typed out all my bolded statements at both the beginning and the ending of the chapter...and then it somehow mysteriously vanished.**

**Snake: Wasn't me!**

**Me: Somehow I doubt that. Anyways, I WAS going to say that I have decided to extend Chapter 3 a bit, and it will be delayed by a week. Sorry! **

**Snake: So, are you going to retype everything again?**

**Me: No, I'll just post the chapter.**

**Snake: Remember to remind them that you own nothing.**

**Me: Okay...**

**Snake: And that they need to review it.**

**Me: Got it.**

**Snake: And that the reader's review mean a lot to you-**

**Me: I GET IT ALREADY! *Posts chapter Three before I lose my mind***

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><p>Chapter Two: Rosalina's Arrival<p>

Snake wasn't quite sure what to say about the mysterious woman who hovered in a clear bubble in front of him. She was tall, with blonde hair swept gently over her right eye and down to her shoulders, contrasting her light blue dress that was the color of ice, and in her hand, she held a long wand with a star on the end. She looked serene and peaceful with her eyes closed, but Snake could see the streaks of tears across her pale face that betrayed her true feelings. Whoever she was, she had certainly made an entrance.

"Rosalina!" Peach gasped, moving quickly in front of the bubble as she recognized the woman.

Slowly, Rosalina opened her eyes at the sound of a familiar voice, her bubble dissolving as she gently touched the ground. "Peach?" She murmured, as her eyes adjusted to bright light of the sun to show an amazed Peach standing before her.

"It IS you! My goodness, why are you so far away from the Comet Observatory? And where are all the Lumas? Did something happen?" Peach fired one question after another to Rosalina, who stood perfectly still as she remembered exactly why she had come here. A single tear slid down her face.

"Peach, I think our visitor wants to speak in private." Peach turned as Master Hand floated up to Rosalina. "Am I right?"

Rosalina nodded, as Master Hand spoke again. "Follow me please. We'll talk in my office." The Brawlers moved out of the giant hand's way as he floated by, Rosalina calmly following behind him. As they vanished into the Mansion, the Brawlers began to talk excitedly among themselves.

"Did you SEE that girl?" Captain Falcon asked Wolf excitedly, while Samus listened in disgust. "MAN is she hot!"

"You say that about every girl, Cap." The bounty hunter muttered, while Wolf snickered at Falcon's red face.

"I wonder why she's here." Ike mused.

"Maybe she wants to be a Brawler?" Fox offered, but Falco scoffed. "Nah, she looks too delicate to be one of us."

"Did you see how sad she looked?" Toon Link spoke to Snake, who was still staring at the door Rosalina had went through. "Something really bad must have happened to her."

But what exactly had happened to the princess?

"So, you say you and your Lumas were attacked by a mysteriously powerful force, correct?" Master Hand hovered over his desk in his small office; his attention focused the chair in front of him where Rosalina sat.

She nodded solemnly. "Even if I had tried to defend the Observatory, whatever-or whoever- it was would still have destroyed us. I…I abandoned the Lumas to escape here; I left the ones I swore to protect."

"You may have given us time to investigate this force though, and for that I am grateful." Seeing her despair, Master Hand sighed and began to pace-or rather, float- around the room. "Until we can find out what attack the Observatory, I suggest you stay with us here, at the Mansion. The Brawlers that live here are sure to help you out."

"Thank you, Master Hand." For the first time that day, Rosalina actually smiled. "It has been a long time since I was on Earth. Already, I feel at home."

"Good! Peach would be happy to give you a tour before we eat dinner in an hour." He stopped pacing and floated over to the door, opening it to find Peach on the other side. "If you need anything at all, be sure to ask me."

Rosalina rose and thanked Master Hand as she stepped out into a hallway with Peach, who squealed "Oh, it going to be SO much fun to have another girl in the Mansion! Well, this is the office hall, where Master Hand works. You really don't have to go back here too much." Skipping along, Peach stopped at the end of the hall, which opened into a large main room with a dual staircase to one side. "This is the Entrance Hall, and over to the left is the main door outside. The stairs lead up to the bedrooms and bathrooms-do you have a room yet?"

Master Hand had never mentioned where Rosalina was going to stay. "No, but I will probably be given one later."

"Well, maybe you can room with Zelda and me!" Peach exclaimed, while Rosalina groaned inwardly. The last thing she wanted was to room with someone right now, when she would much rather be by herself. Peach pointed at a door underneath the stairs. "That's the Library, but I don't really like to go in there. Too musty for me." The pink princess skipped past the door, dragging Rosalina away before she could get a closer look.

"And THIS is the kitchen!" Throwing her arms up, Peach gave a twirl over to where Kirby was stirring vegetables in a large pot. "Kirby here is the chef. What are you making for dinner?"

"Poyo." Kirby spoke without even looking up at Peach, who gave a gasp of delight.

"Why that sounds perfectly wonderful! I can't wait to-" Peach was cut off as two blue-haired men walked in from outside, one of them calling out to Peach with a smile. "Hey Peach! One of your Toads is stuck upside down in a tree again."

Peach narrowed her eyes and sighed. "Great. Those stupid idiots can't manage to stay on the ground for five seconds." Forgetting about Rosalina, Peach stormed angrily out the kitchen door, slamming it behind her with a bang.

The man with a bandanna chuckled. "She's going to be ticked when she realizes there's no Toad." His eyes suddenly fell on Rosalina. "Hey, you're that new girl that arrived-Rosetta, right?"

"No, but close. I am Rosalina."

"Well, I'm Ike." Ike pointed at his friend. "And this here is Marth. Let me guess, Peach was giving you a tour of this old place."

"I pity you." Marth added with a smile. "I would never be able to stand even five seconds of Peach, let alone an entire tour!"

"Peach is not that bad." Rosalina said, coming to the defense of the princess, before quietly adding. "Is she the only one here like that?"

"Well, Zelda can be kind of air-headed sometimes, but everyone else is pretty normal." A strange mumbling sound could be heard coming from the freezer, where Ganondorf was being thawed out by Luigi, who frantically moved his blow-dryer back and forth over the ice block. "Well, maybe not everyone else." Ike added.

"Come on Ike; let's clear out before Peach realizes we tricked her." Marth began to pull his friend out of the kitchen, as Ike gave a half-hearted wave to Rosalina. Now the kitchen was quiet again, Luigi still desperately trying to blow-dry Ganondorf before dinner as Kirby rolled his eyes and kept stirring.

Rosalina walked over to the pink puffball. "Do you need any help?"

Kirby stopped stirring to look at the princess. She did not look like she would break or burn anything-unlike the stupid green plumber he had been stuck with. And a little help would be nice…

"Poyo." Kirby pointed at some vegetables that needed chopping on the table behind him with his spoon. He watched as Rosalina nodded and walked over, before turning back to his soup.

Plop!

Suddenly, Kirby watched a slice of carrot fall into the pot, more slices of vegetables raining down out of thin air over his creation. Looking over, the chef's jaw dropped to see Rosalina lifting an eggplant with a swish of her star wand, causing it to magically slice into pieces and float over into the soup. In about a minute, the pile of veggies was gone, and the soup was bubbling merrily, a nice smell wafting out of the pot.

Eyes wide, Kirby stepped away from the soup pot, and ran to find something else for the princess to chop.

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><p>"IIIIIIIIKKEE! THERE WAS NO TOAD!" Peach barged into the kitchen in fury, her dress torn and dirtied from climbing trees. Rosalina looked up from stirring the soup as Kirby added some spices to the dish, his eyes rolling at Peach's dramatics. "I searched for HALF AN HOUR out there, and I didn't see ONE SINGLE-"<p>

Suddenly, a young boy dressed in green raced through the kitchen, yelling "AUGH! DON'T LET HIM GET MEEEE!" at the top of his lungs as he hid behind Kirby, who shoved him out of the way and accidentally poured more spice than needed into the soup.

"What are you yelling about?" Rosalina asked calmly, using her star wand to stop the boy and levitate him over in front of her.

His pointed ears quivered in fear. "Snake's angry because I put one of my bombs outside his room, and now he says he wants to kill me!"

Rosalina gave a small smile. "I am pretty sure he is not going to kill you."

"Oh yes he is!" Ganondorf, whose head had thawed out, cackled evilly. "You haven't met Solid Snake yet, Princess! He's a lean, mean, killing machine! That boy doesn't stand a chance."

Peach put her hands on her hips. "See Toon Link? That's what you get for playing pranks on us all the time!"

"Well…Toon Link…" Rosalina thought for a moment as the boy looked at her. "How about you help me with the soup, and if Snake comes in here, I will deal with him."

Toon Link nodded as Rosalina gently lowered him, just as Ganondorf chuckled. "Look, here he comes. Oh, he IS angry now- quick you stupid plumber, move me closer. I want to watch this."

Rosalina hid Toon Link behind her as the kitchen doors flew open, Snake furiously stomping up to Kirby in rage. "Ok, where is he?"

"Poyo?" Kirby asked innocently, adding more broth to the pot.

"You know who. Toony! Where is he?"

"I am afraid we have no idea what you are talking about." Rosalina added simply, tasting the soup and murmuring to Kirby "A bit more salt and it should be good."

Snake stared at the blonde woman, trying to control the anger in his voice. "That kid put a bomb outside my room-he's going to pay."

"Oh, does that make you feel better? Hurting children because of a prank?" She studied the spy with her cold eyes as she spoke. "Go someplace else and wait until you see him again. He is not going to come to you when you are threatening to kill him."

A faint redness enveloped Snakes cheeks as he mumbled a few choice words and left the room, Toon Link peering up at Rosalina as the doors shut. "WOW! I've never seen Snake back down from a fight. Did you use your magic on him?"

Rosalina shook her head, letting a small smile escape her lips. "No, I only use magic when I have no other choice."

"Trust me Rosalina, EVERY man acts like that around here." Peach huffed as she thought of Captain Falcon, and added angrily "Sometimes a girl's got to show a man who's boss!"

"Well Peach, you seem to take orders from Mario a lot." Ganondorf commented slyly. "In fact, I think you do everything Mario asks you to do. Every single little-argh!" The Gerudo glared at Luigi, who had resorted to using one of the Ice Climbers pickaxes to carve him out. The brother of Mario gave him a sly smile before muttering something about Ganondorf's mother and Dodongo.

Rosalina sighed as she watched Peach and Toon Link hurry over to help Luigi, who was being strangled by Ganondorf's thawed-out arms and turning a violent shade of purple. "I really need to go home."

"Poyo." Kirby grumbled. Next time, he would work alone.

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><p><strong>Rosalina: Why is Snake so grumpy?<strong>

**Snake: I'm naturally like that.**

**Me: Ugh, even the edits I made got erased. STUPID CHROME.**

**Snake: Well, it's better than Internet Explorer.**

**Me: True. Anyways, I promise that the next chapter will not be as boring as this one. I only wrote this to introduce Rosalina, the Mansion, and a bunch of characters and their personalities. Next chapter will include more Brawlers and the beginning of our adventure.**

**Snake: So you better review and read the next update...or else...**

**Rosalina: Or else what?**

**Snake: ...Or else something will happen. I don't know, JUST HIT THE REVIEW BUTTON ALREADY!**


	4. An Idea

**Whew! That took a while!**

**Snake:...are you kidding me?**

**Me: What?**

**Snake: You just said that you'd have the next chapter up next week because you needed to finish it...and you just FINISHED IT?**

**Me: Yeah...I had it saved to one computer-and now I finished it on that one computer.**

**Snake: *Rage***

**Rosalina: What's his problem?**

**Me: He has many. Remember: I OWN NOTHING!**

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><p>Chapter Three: An Idea<p>

Most of the Brawlers had already found a place to sit at the long dining room table by the time Rosalina got out of the kitchen. Looking around the table, she walked over and chose a seat next to a tall brown-haired woman in a purple gown, who sat next to a man who looked like an older version of Toon Link.

"Ah, you must be Rosalina." The woman remarked with a smile as Rosalina took her seat. "I'm Princess Zelda of Hyrule." The man beside her opened his mouth to introduce himself as Zelda added, "This is Link. He doesn't say much."

"I…see." Rosalina looked around the giant room, admiring the mammoth chandelier that glittered like a thousand stars overhead. "This place is very beautiful."

"Meh." An extremely fat man spoke up from his seat beside Link. "This place is a cheap shack in my opinion. Nothing here is shiny or valuable-heck, there's not even a priceless work of art! What this place needs is some bling. I'm talking gold faucets, diamond-encrusted tissues, and platinum sporks-"

A blonde-haired woman in a shapely suit cut the fat man off. "Ever heard the saying 'All that glistens is not gold', Wario?"

Wario laughed. "Well, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, Samus! What else besides gold glistens?"

"My sword glistens." A blue blob with a mask and bat wings said, holding up his sword as proof.

"Meta-Knight, that sword hasn't glistened since you came here!" Ike yelled from the other end of the table. "Now MY sword-there's some major glistening right there!"

A small Eskimo child dressed in blue turned to what appeared to be his sister beside him, who sat next to Samus. "Nana, does ice glisten?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah Popo, it does!"

Toon Link stood from his place between Ness and Lucas, pointing the Master Sword into the air. "My sword glistens! Especially when it's slaying bad guys!" Swinging the sword over his head, the boy leaped across the table and brought it down inches from Wolf's face, who snarled angrily as the other Brawlers began arguing loudly, Rosalina watching with wide eyes.

"QUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIET!" Master Hand floated into the room, causing the Brawlers to fall silent as he moved to the head of the table with a sigh. "Now, can we all have one dinner without someone causing an infinite amount of chaos for once?"

There was some grumbling from a few people, but most of the table remained silent, trying not to imagine what the giant hand would do if they spoke.

"Good! Well then, before we eat, I would like to welcome a newcomer to our Mansion tonight. Princess Rosalina will be residing here with us for a bit, and I hope everyone will do their best to make her feel welcome."

Rosalina felt her cheeks redden slightly as everyone turned to stare at her, most of them smiling warmly-except for Snake, who sat with a cold glare at the other end of the table. Ignoring him, Rosalina looked at Master Hand as he continued to speak. "Also, I need to speak with my top Brawlers in my office after dinner-and you as well, Rosalina."

As various Waddle-Dees waddled forward with bowls of soup, some of the Brawlers mumbled among themselves about what the meeting was about, and why Rosalina was involved. The princess in question ignored the whispers and ate her soup in silence, wondering where exactly her Lumas were at this moment and hoping that they were as safe as she was.

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><p>"You are probably wondering why I have called you here." Master Hand sighed as he spoke to the listening Brawlers in his office, trying to keep the weariness out of his voice. "You all remember the one enemy that brought us together as one force more than three years ago."<p>

"Tabuu." Sonic and Mario murmured with a hint of disgust, as the other Brawlers seemed to tighten with anger.

Rosalina, who was sitting in the same chair she had sat in earlier, turned to Zelda and asked softly "Who is Tabuu?"

Link, who sat beside Zelda, opened his mouth to speak as Meta Knight cut him off. "Tabuu was a god-like figure who inhabits an area called Subspace. He tried to conquer our worlds and turn everything into Subspace, but we destroyed him before he could."

Master Hand seemed to nod in agreement to Meta Knight-except that he had no head. "Yes, we all remember what happened back then. I have reason to believe, however, that we may be facing Tabuu again-or someone stronger."

Everyone was silent, with most of the Brawler's faces twisted into a mixture of shock and anger. Snake, who sat in the corner of the office, spoke slowly. "That's…impossible. Tabuu was destroyed…we all saw it happen…"

"Now, I never said that Tabuu was the enemy to focus on-"

"No, you said that there could be a stronger enemy!" Ike leaped up from his spot. "If that's the case, then we need to prepare ourselves!"

The others-except for Rosalina- began to argue loudly as Master Hand floated in surprise, his cries for silence lost in the fray. She sat and noticed that the eyes of the Brawlers were not filled with anger, but with pure fear. They had faced a powerful enemy before-and barely escaped with their lives. If the enemy was truly worse than Tabuu…well, they definitely needed to be afraid then. "They are going to need help in order to fight this enemy." She murmured to herself…and at that moment, she had a solution.

"Please…if I make speak…" Rosalina tried to catch the attention of the others, but they were too busy arguing to hear her-except for Solid Snake. He still sat in his spot, and his eyes locked with Rosalina's for a brief second before he pulled out a grenade and cleared his throat.

There was instant silence as everyone slowly sat down upon seeing Snake's grenade. Most of them had suffered losses in brawls due to that one tiny object, and they were not keen on getting hit with it again. "Er…thank you, Snake." Master Hand turned to Rosalina as Snake put his grenade away. "Now, I believe you wanted to say something, Rosalina?"

Nodding, she rose and looked at everyone before speaking. "If I am not mistaken…you all are from different worlds, correct?"

"Technically, some of us are from the same wo-" Red the Pokémon Trainer began, but Pit covered his mouth with a hand as he nodded furiously.

"Then is it possible to get help from other worlds beside your own? Worlds that may know how to combat this threat?"

"…_You__mean__find__people__from__other__worlds__and__ask__them__to__help?__" _Lucario's voice echoed through everyone's mind as he looked at Master Hand with curiosity in his red eyes. _"__Is__that__even__possible?__" _

The hand seemed to freeze for a moment. "It is, actually. However, to travel from world to world is incredibly dangerous…one misstep and you could get lost within the cracks of the dimensions, or be trapped within a paradoxical universe created by one seemingly random act-or even alter the course of the world and send yourself into a parallel dimension!"

Seeing that he had lost most of the Brawlers at "one misstep", Master Hand rephrased his answer: "Yes, but only a few of you can go."

Samus spoke up (causing Link to grunt in frustration-he had been interrupted once again). "So, who's going?"

Master Hand chucked. "Well, any of you can go-but let me warn you: This is a dangerous job. It may be that some of you could be injured or left behind….or worse. I do not know what may happen to you out there, but this quest will test those who decide to go to their very limits."

Ike looked at everyone before standing with a grin. "Sounds like my kind of adventure!"

Samus rolled her eyes and stood up. "I am NOT going to let him have all the fun."

Meta Knight nodded and unsheathed his sword, while Pit raised his bow. "You guys are definitely going to need me! I can fly!"

Falco snorted. "Oh, but can you fly an Arwing? Didn't think so. I'm in." He chuckled as Lucario rose and looked at Red, who smiled and tossed a Pokéball into the air.

Snake looked around and sighed as everyone stared at him. "Fine, I'll go. But I want one person to join us-a person who isn't in this meeting."

"That's MEEE!"

Suddenly, Toon Link jumped out from behind the door, a grin on his face as Master Hand fumed. "Toon Link, this is a _private_ meeting! You will _not_be going on this quest-you're too young!"

The smile slipped from the boy's face. "But _Master__Hand_!" He whined in protest. "Pit gets to go!"

"Pit's older than you. Now, get off to bed before I decide to put you on cleaning duty!" The hand watched as the boy slunk dejectedly out the door, before motioning for Snake to continue. "You were saying?"

"I want Luigi to come with us."

Mario made a perfect "o" with his mouth as the rest of the group sat in shock, before finding his voice. "If you believe my brother is prepared for something like this…then let him go."

"That makes… nine of you going then." Master Hand seemed to lean back as he floated in midair. "Unless anyone else wishes to go?"

Rosalina looked at all the others around her, before quietly speaking. "I also wish to go."

Samus walked over and patted Rosalina on the back. "If you're saying that because I'm the only girl, it's ok." She glared at the other men as she added "I could take any of them down if I wanted to."

The princess shook her head. "No, that is not my reason for going. I want to see if I can find my Lumas while we travel-they would be valuable to you if we do fight this enemy." She could feel a well of emotion about to bubble over in her voice, and had to take a composing breath before continuing. "They have never been alone before…I hope that they are not frightened."

The hand stretched his fingers in fatigue. "Ten of you then-very good. Make sure you pack a few things tonight and gather outside on the lawn tomorrow morning after breakfast. We will need to get you all off as soon as possible." With these words, he floated over to the door as the Brawlers filed out quietly, stopping Rosalina as something came to mind. "Wait…did I not give you a room, my dear?"

She smiled sadly. "No Master Hand…but I am only staying for one night."

"Nonsense! You must at least have some place to sleep!"

"Actually…" Rosalina thought for a moment. "Is it possible that I may sleep in the Library? Just thinking about it reminds me of home."

"Of course-I'm afraid you won't have a proper bed however."

"As long as I can sleep, then I shall be just fine." The princess began to walk out the door, but stopped to face the hand. "Do you truly believe some of them may not return from this quest?"

"I cannot say for sure…but it is likely."

"If you truly believe that-"She paused as she saw the light of the evening stars shining through a window at the end of the hall. "-then this danger we face is far worse than I suspected."

And with these ominous words, she walked silently down the hall, the light shining on her in such a way that for a moment, she seemed to be surrounded by a halo of light-like an angel that had fallen from the heavens above.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, a few of the male Brawlers- Luigi, Ganondorf, Fox, Captain Falcon, Dedede, and Snake- were hanging out in the Mansion's rec room, even though it was nearing midnight. Video game music burbled softly from a radio that stood between several retro arcade machines and the large plasma-screen TV that was hooked up to a Wii. The music was interrupted only by the crashing of pool balls as Dedede hooked the ball into the corner of the table's pocket, growling in anger as Captain Falcon smirked and twirled his cue."You know De, I expected you to be a lot better at this game."<p>

"Oh can it, Cap." Fox grunted from the couch behind the pool table, throwing a foam basketball into a hoop above the TV. "You can't even shoot straight with an actual gun, let alone play a decent game of pool."

The ball bounced off the rim and hit Luigi's head, who still was sitting in semi-shock after being told he was going on the quest. His DSi lay abandoned beside the couch, the tinny New Super Mario Bros. music blaring out of the speakers.

Ganondorf, who sat at a folding table with Snake near the door, obviously hadn't heard the news. "What's his problem? Kirby finally figure out how to fry his brain?" The dark lord jerked his thumb at Luigi.

Snake, who had been flipping through an old issue of Game Informer, looked up with a glare-although this was pretty typical. "He got selected to go on Master Hand's quest."

Dedede tried not to laugh as Falcon plunged his cue into the table at this statement, while Fox stuck his head up and spoke to Snake. "Yeah, I heard from Falco that he's going too. Who else besides the three of you got selected?"

"Well, there's Lucario and Meta Knight, Pit, Samus-"

"SAMUS is going?" Captain Falcon's jaw dropped, while Fox snickered.

The spy nodded. "Then Ike's going, along with Red-"

Now all the Brawlers grumbled under their breaths. Sure, Red was a great guy, but sometimes he acted like a complete idiot around others.

"Anyone else going?" Ganondorf asked hopefully, hoping that maybe his name had been selected.

"Well, Rosalina asked to go…" He trailed off as the others looked at him in confusion. Sighing, he added. "You know, the girl who crash-landed on the lawn this morning?"

"Oh right- she's pretty." Fox sighed quietly with a smile.

"Sorry Foxy, but she's way out of your league." Dedede cast a glance at Snake as he spoke. "Actually, she's out of all our leagues…except for Snake, maybe."

Snake gave his darkest glare toward the penguin, who merely smiled at him. "Well, it's true. You're the only regular human-being in this room!"

Falcon grunted. "What's wrong with me? I'm human."

"Falcon, don't even get me started on all your problems." Ganondorf punched Snake in the arm. "Lighten up, Snake. If you keep glaring at her, she's going to avoid you anyways."

"I'm not glaring." He grumbled in response. "I'm just naturally grouchy."

Stretching his arms to the ceiling, Fox yawned. "Well Mr. Grouchy-Pants, I'm gonna hit the sack." He nudged Luigi as he started for the door, who slowly stood and walked out of the room without a sound.

With a weary sigh, Ganondorf stood as well. "I have to agree with the mutt on this one-see you boys tomorrow." He strolled out the door as Captain Falcon and Dedede ended their game and followed the other three out the door.

In a matter of minutes, Snake was left alone, the room now strangely silent with only him in it. He thought for a moment about going outside for a smoke-before he remembered he had given up all his cigarettes when he had entered the house. "We need to set a good example for the others", Master Hand had told him, as he had taken his packet and thrown it into the garbage. "You don't want to be looked at as the 'Bad Boy Brawler', do you?"

Bull to that. He always managed to look like the bad guy no matter what he did. It wasn't his fault that his temper was as short as Olimar, or that he didn't care for social interaction-yet people acted like he had killed and eaten small children in their sleep. Everyone knew that he was ruthless and sometimes cold-but no one knew that he would fight valiantly to help any of his friends, even if it meant he had to die. He was a real soldier, not some blubbering idiot who charged into the fray without a weapon. It was the real reason Master Hand had chosen him: because inside he was the man people wanted to be.

Trying not to yawn, Snake got up from his seat and turned off the lights to the room, shutting the door with a dull thud behind him. He moved slowly down the hall and past the kitchen, his feet not making a single sound against the cold wooden floors. Soon he came to the entrance hall- and froze as he heard someone descending from the stairs. Quickly, he hid behind the corner of the hallway wall, peering out to see who else was up at this hour.

It was Rosalina, who seemed to float down the stairs-no wait; she was floating down the stairs with her feet barely touching the steps as she slowly descended. Quietly she floated over to the door underneath the stairs where the library was and tugged on the old tarnished handles, which didn't move an inch. Frowning, she tried again, but the door remained firmly shut. Uttering a sad sigh she tugged in vain over and over, her frustration building as the door stayed where it was.

Snake felt a pain of sympathy as he watched the princess struggle with the door. While she continued to try to open it he walked up behind her and muttered. "You have to push the door inward." She flipped around in surprise, her blue eyes wide.

"Excuse me?"

"The door-it gets stuck every once in a while, so you have to push it inwards." The spy gave her a look of amusement. "Why do you want to get into the library this late at night?"

"Master Hand has allowed me to sleep here for the night."

"In the Library?"

"Yes." Rosalina raised a single eyebrow innocently. "The Library reminds me of the one I have back home- every night I would sit and read a story to the Lumas who wished to hear."

Snake could see the veil of sadness that lay behind her eyes as she spoke, and he could tell that whoever these Lumas were, she missed them very much. "That sounds pretty lonely- to live up in space with only stars for friends."

She smiled in thought. "Yes, it does seem rather lonely. Yet I have the Lumas and the stars to keep me company- and with them I am never truly alone." She turned the handle of the door, which finally budged with a small creak, and slipped inside as Snake turned to go. He stopped however as he heard her remark softly "Your life seems rather lonely as well, Snake."

The spy hadn't thought about his life much- but now that she had mentioned it, he had spent most of his life alone. "Well princess, that's only because I chose it to be that way." He growled, before he slunk up the stairs and into the shadows above, as Rosalina watched for a moment, before closing the door and leaving the Mansion silent yet again.

* * *

><p><strong>Snake: Why do I sound like a bear?<strong>

**Rosalina: ?**

**Snake: I'm always growling and grumbling.**

**Me: Okay...odd...anyways- the next chapter is completed on paper, and I will get it up by at least Sunday!**

**Snake: Thanks for the reviews. Please review some more.**

**Me: Well, see you next update!**


	5. The Quest Begins

** Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that you all are enjoying yourself with friends and family on this special day.**

**Snake: Why would they be reading this then?**

**Rosalina: Maybe they're waiting for the turkey to finish cooking?**

**Me: Could be. Before I begin this chapter however, I want to mention to whoever reviewed and mentioned Kingdom Hearts being a possible world. I hate to say this, but Kingdom hearts will NOT be featured in this fanfic for two reasons: one, I'm not very familiar with the world of Kingdom Hearts, and i would hate to misinterpret the characters and their personalities. Also, I think that kingdom Hearts is used way too much in SSb fanfics, and I want to use more original ideas and characters, like-**

**Nathan Drake: Me, perhaps?**

**Snake: Oh heck no. Wordy, you did NOT stick him into this, did you?**

**Me: NO! All the characters I'm adding all have connections to Nintendo- he just came over for Thanksgiving.**

**Drake: AND because my game is way better than yours...**

**Snake: You wish.**

**Me: Well...I'll take care of these two, you guys just read the chapter!**

* * *

><p>Chapter Four: The Quest Begins<br>By the time the sun was up the next morning everyone in the Mansion had found out about the special quest and the people selected to go. Needless to say, there were a few Brawlers who were not pleased to be left behind.

"It's not fair!" Bowser brought a massive scaled fist down onto the dining room table that morning, causing his bowl of cornflakes to wobble slightly as smoke poured from his snout. "I'm WAY stronger than Luigi! How come I wasn't selected then?"

"No villain was chosen to go, Bowser." Ganondorf sipped his cup of coffee, uttering a sigh of content as he added "In fact, I'd say Master Hand wanted this mission to fail from the start- he only chose those he thought were capable for the mission. No villains, no children- just regular heroes."

"Well, he chose no one from Hyrule to go." Zelda muttered while Link munched silently on a bagel. "I mean, he chose two from the Pokémon realm, but Link and I got passed over like some kind of…of…"

"Trash?" Ness volunteered as Zelda looked ready to explode.

"Exactly- just like trash!"

"Maybe he kept the stronger fighters here in case of an attack." Snake spoke up from his seat, most of the others surprised at not hearing him enter the room.

Zelda scoffed. "Master Hand already selected the strongest fighters to go- he left the weakest of us here to do _nothing!_"

King Dedede leaped up in anger, both his flippers clenching his hammer tightly. "Hey! I'm incredibly powerful in a brawl, and I'm still here!"

"De, you can't even get your fat ass out of your bed, let alone win a brawl." Wolf snickered; freezing as the hammer nearly flattened his nose. Apparently, the penguin was not amused this morning.

Peach burst into the room with a crash, her arms filled with many frilly pink dresses. "Has anyone seen Rosalina? I found some old dresses of mine that I don't want to wear- all she has is that one blue one, the poor thing!"

"Sorry Peach, I haven't seen her. Did you try Master Hand's office?" Ike flashed his brightest smile at her, causing the princess to race from the room in search of Rosalina.

Snake watched as she left, then smiled and turned to look at a large potted plant to his right in the corner of the room. "She left."

After a second Rosalina materialized from behind the plant with a sigh of relief. "I never thought one could be afraid of the color pink…until I saw those dresses." She shuddered and took a seat as everyone laughed quietly.

Pretty soon all the Brawlers had gathered in the dining room (with the exception of Peach, who was still looking for Rosalina) and had begun to talk among themselves when Master Hand floated in, waving his fingers for silence as he coughed quietly. "Welcome everyone. As you may have heard, a group of individuals have decided to embark on a very important quest- one that may prove to be very dangerous. They shall be traveling to other worlds- worlds that we have not yet explored- to gather fighters in order to combat the evil force that may threaten us very soon. The fate of not just our world, but all worlds, may rest on the actions of these brave individuals. I want you all to know that each and everyone of you is a powerful fighter- but together, you can overcome any obstacle in your way, whether that be in a brawl or a fighter against something greater. Believe and in the end you will succeed. Now, all of you enjoy your morning and wish those going off good luck- they will need every little bit of it." The hand floated out of the room as everyone stared after him.

Kirby, who had come out of the kitchen, was the first to speak. "Poyo?"

"Yeah, I've never heard him say things like that before." Mario reflected for a moment, and then turned to Lucario, who sat beside him. "Did you see anything in his aura, Lucario?"

"_I __saw __that __he __was __filled __with __concern-__he __fears __that __those __going __on __the __quest __will __not __survive __long __enough __to __return __here __to __the __Mansion.__" _ The Aura Pokemon's red eyes flashed as his whispery voice drifted through their heads. "_Master Hand has great respect for all of us-if even one Brawler did not return from the quest…"_

Samus rose up from her chair with a glare. "Well, I'm not going to waste time talking about how I could die a horrible death. I'm off to prepare- something tells me I'm going to have to bring the cannons along on this trip." Pushing in her seat she walked out, most of the other Brawlers deciding to leave and do something else. Soon only a few of those selected for the quest were left.

Meta Knight sighed and turned to Rosalina, his yellow eyes studying her from underneath his mask. "Do you believe the evil we face is truly as powerful as Master Hand believes it to be?"

She couldn't help but laugh softly. "The evil I faced was certainly powerful-but Master Hand is right about us being powerful as a group. Perhaps finding some new fighters will help us defeat whatever this evil is."

"Hate to tell you princess," Snake remarked sourly, "but most of us aren't big fans of teamwork."

"That doesn't mean we can't work together!" Ike looked outside at the lake in the distance before asking with a touch of concern "Do you guys really think we'll be able to find people to help us?"

No one answered, but the question remained on their faces as they too stared outside at the world for what could be the very last time.

* * *

><p>Mid-morning arrived quickly, and soon everyone had gathered outside on the grass with the summer sun bearing down on their backs. Most were talking in little huddled groups- except for Rosalina, who had found a shady patch of grass under an oak tree nearby, and was now watching the others around her. She was so focused on them that she didn't even hear the soft steps of Lucario until he was right beside her. Without looking up, she wondered aloud. "So many people, so many ideas- how is it that you all are able to get along?"<p>

The Pokemon slowly sat down beside her. _"__It __took __some__time- __many __of __us __didn__'__t __trust __each __other __at __first. __After __Tabuu__'__s __defeat, __we __realized __that __we __worked __well __together __as __a __group, __and __that __most __of __us __could __relate __to __another. __Some __of __us __still __don__'__t __get __along __well __together, __but __we __know __that __we __always __will __have __each __other__'__s __backs __in __a __problem. __It__'__s __why __most __of __our __auras __are __green-__the __color __of __peace __and __trust.__"_

"Auras? I am unfamiliar with that term."

Lucario twitched a single ear. _"__My __apologies-__an __aura __is __an __energy __field __that __surrounds __a __living __thing __and __shows __the __emotions __and __basic __thoughts __of __an __individual. "Being an__Aura __Pokemon,__I __possess __the __ability __to __see __and __understand __these __auras, __and __to __channel __my __own __in __battle. __An __aura __changes __color __with __the __emotion __of __an __individual- __Blue __for __happiness,__red __for __anger,__white __for __love-__"_

"White? For love?"

"_Yes-__I __still __haven__'__t __figured __out __why __that __is. __For __some __reason __however, __if __one __is __in __love __one__'__s __aura __is __perfectly __white. __If __you__'__re __able __to __figure __out __why, __tell __me-__I __honestly __would __love __to __know.__"_

As he finished speaking, Samus strolled up in her Varia suit with a large brown backpack slung over her shoulder. "Master Hand is about to let us go- you guys better get ready." She said, as she walked past Ike-who was fist-bumping Marth- and made her way over to where the questers had gathered in a line awayfrom the other Brawlers.

"_It __is __time__" _Lucario stood and turned to face Rosalina, who rose slowly and leaned against the leathery tree trunk. _"__Our __adventure __starts __here.__"_

"Yes... now the quest begins." The princess murmured to herself as she followed Lucario over to stand between Red and Pit. The others were busy saying their last goodbyes to friends and family- except for Snake, who seemed lost in thought at the end of the line. _Why,_ she thought as she glanced at the spy,_does __he __always __stand __alone?_

"Greetings Brawlers!" The giant hand floated outside to a spot in front of the crowd. "Before we start, I need to ask- has anyone seen Toon Link? No? Ganondorf, have you- no, I'm not singling you out because you're a villain, I'm just- ok, I believe you, no need to glare. Alright then, would the selected Brawlers please step forward and face me please- oh, you already have. Good-no Pit, I wasn't being sarcastic. You'll be able to tell when I'm being sarcastic-no, that wasn't sarcasm either. Let's see...is everyone present and accounted for? Luigi, let go of Mario's leg now- he'll be here when you return, I promise. Luigi, I mean it- let go or I will _spank _you. Good man. Where is Meta Knight- oh, there you are. No, I didn't say that because you are short- no Pit, that's not sarcasm. Honestly, I never saw you- yes, I know you were right in front of me. Meta, it's not very nice to threaten your host with your sword- KIRBY! Take Falco out of that pot NOW. I don't care if he called pink a wimpy color; we never stick people in our pots- PEACH TOADSTOOL QUIT STRANGLING FALCO! Red, I wouldn't even finish that sentence if I were you, unless you want to get a kick in the pants from Zelda. Now, listen everyone-listen please-QUIET! Thank you. Now, it seems as though you are ready, so I will send you off- fist however, I wish to say a few words to those who are about to depart. Each and everyone of you is incredibly special to-"

"ENOUGH TALKING!" Ike screamed, raising his sword high as Marth face-palmed silently. "LET'S JUST GO KICK EVIL ASS!"

Most of the Brawlers cheered as Master Hand tried to explain that they weren't going to be kicking ass anyway- but thought better of it and instead sighed in defeat. "In that case... I may as well open the portal."

He snapped his fingers together as everyone fell silent again, listening as the sound rang over the small space. Suddenly, a strange glowing doorway of swirling blue light appeared next to Master Hand, who pointed at it with his index finger. "This will deliver you to a new world- but be warned, for it will close and won't reappear again. When you find a suitable fighter to join us, you must locate a new portal in that world- it should be rather close to where you first entered. However, the portal only stays open for ten seconds after entry- if one of you does not make it through the portal in time, they shall be stuck in that world. I will not be able to help you in any way, but in seven days I will be able to open a green portal to return you back to this world- but only for those who are still with the main group."

Gravely, he turned to point at each one of them as he spoke their name. "Samus. Pit. Ike. Falco. Meta Knight. Red. Lucario. Luigi. Snake. Rosalina. Good luck, and may you find your way back here with new friends to join our ranks."

They all looked at Master Hand with respect in their eyes, as Snake stepped up and walked through the portal without a word, followed by the others and Rosalina on the end. Just before she stepped through, she turned back around and stared at the sky, where she could have sworn that something had streaked by just seconds before. _ Yes, __the __quest __has __now __begun_, she reflected, and with the sounds of Luma laughter in her ears she stepped through the portal and vanished from one world into another.

* * *

><p><strong>Snake: Look, obviously I'm the better man here. I'm a super soldier!<strong>

**Drake: So? I've survived a train crash, a plane crash, Yetis, zombies, El Dorado- shall I continue?**

**Snake: So, I'm a CLASSIC- Metal Gear is a franchise that had stood the test of time!**

**Drake: Well, at least I can hold down a girlfriend!**

**Snake: SHE DIVORCED YOU!**

**Drake: BUT WE GOT BACK TOGETHER!**

**Me: Can't we all just get along?**

**Snake: Let's ask the reviewers to settle this- If you think I'M a better man than Drake over here, say so! **

**Drake: But they're OBVIOUSLY going to pick ME- because I'm OBVIOUSLY the better man!**

**Me: You know, I'm just going to ignore both of you, eat my turkey, and try to post within a week. And be sure to review this chapter- the more the merrier! Until then, enjoy the holidays!**


	6. Luigi is Hit by a Car

**Hello everyone! It's time for another chapter update!**

**Rosalina: Yay!**

**Me:...huh...where's Snake and Drake? I thought they would be here too.**

**Rosalina: I haven't seen them since last chapter-they're probably fighting.**

**Me: True-anyways, this chapter deals with the first world the Brawlers visit, along with a certain twist at the end. So, without further ado-the chapter!**

**Rosalina: WE OWN NOTHING! Well...actually, we DO own the enemy at the end of the chapter. **

**Me: Ssh! Don't spoil it for them!**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Chapter 5: Luigi is Hit by a Car (or Why You Should Never Ignore Birds)

Stepping through the portal was almost like riding a roller coaster-only without the coaster and a large absence of fun. Snake had to struggle to hold down his breakfast as the portal threw him around and around through blossoms of multicolored lights. Soon it felt as though someone was slowly squeezing his brain while tying his insides together in one jumbled, messy knot.

Finally, when it seemed like either his head or his guts would explode, the spinning stopped and he felt himself rocket out of the portal and into the light, hitting the ground so hard the breath was knocked out of him. Although his head was still spinning, Snake could faintly hear the sounds of birds chirping and the gentle swaying of leaves. Opening his eyes a crack, he winced as bright sunlight struck his face, and had to squint to see anything in front of him. It looked as if he lay in the middle of a rich green forest, with a small clearing surrounding the area where the portal had dumped him.

The peaceful silence didn't last very long, as the others came flying out of the portal behind him. Snake felt someone whiz over his head, and the wind was knocked back out of him as someone hit him from behind with a crash.

"Ugh...Sorry Snake." Pit muttered as he untangled himself from Snake, who stood slowly up with a groan and brushed the dirt off the front of him, looking around for the others as he did so. He watched as Samus dashed to a bush nearby, the trip apparently not agreeing with her choice of breakfast. Meta Knight and Falco were trying to pull a semi-conscious Red out of a tree he had landed in, while Ike lay passed out next to Lucario at the foot of the same tree.

Turning, he saw Rosalina stuck halfway in a large bush, leave and branches stuck crookedly in her hair as she looked around the area with her wide eyes. Quietly, he walked over to her and stuck out a hand. "Need help there, princess?"

She smiled and stuck out her own hand as Snake lifted her gently out of the brush, stepping back as she dusted off her dress and removed the leafy debris from her hair. "Thank you- is everyone else alright?" She asked, peering past him to stare as Red fell out of the tree and landed on top of Falco and Meta-Knight.

Snake followed her gave and shrugged. "Er... was definitely a wild ride."

"Yes- I hope to never experience that again."

Samus appeared suddenly from behind the bush, her helmet off and her face a slight greenish color. "Ugh...that's going to take some getting used to." She groaned as she shuffled over to Ike, kicking him with her large armored foot. "Ok, get up. Nap time's over."

The blue-haired warrior opened a single eye, then moaned as if in pain. "Dammit Samus, I'm about five seconds away from losing my breakfast here!"

"So? I already lost my breakfast- now get up or I'm going to kick you again in a not-so-pleasant place."

_"This world feels different." _Lucario wobbled slightly as he stood up, having to grab onto the tree in order for him not to fall over. _"It feels so strange-so...so...new."_

Pit began to whistle "A Whole New World", but Meta-Knight backhanded him in disgust, rolling his eyes as Falco spoke up. "Hey, has anyone seen Luigi?"

"Over here!"

Luigi's voice echoed out from deeper within the forest, bouncing among the trees. Fearing the worst, the group looked at each other before dashing quickly to where the voice had come from. Within seconds they had raced through the clearing and emerged on the other side of the forest (which must have been pretty small), and came to a stop at the sight of Luigi, who beamed at them as they caught their breath.

"Look guys!" He tapped his foot to indicate the pavement he currently stood on. "I found a ROAD!"

"...So?" Red looked around in boredom. "It's just a road."

"Well, I think it's cool." Luigi did a small tap dance on the road, enjoying the clicking noises his shoes made. "Besides, it looks pretty old. I don't think anyone has driven on it for yea-"

BEEEEP!

Out of nowhere a small red car hit Luigi from the right side with a thud, sending him skidding across the road several feet, where he lay spread-eagle on his backside. Ike gave a girlish scream and fainted, while Samus and Meta-Knight sprinted over to their friend's side. The other stood there dumbstruck, not wanting to believe what had just occurred.

A young boy dressed in a blue sweater vest and a matching newsboy hat peered out the window with wide round eyes. "Goodness Professor-I think you hit that man!" He said with an British accent as he quickly got out of the car, along with the man who was driving.

The driver was probably the oddest person Snake had ever seen- he had a pale-ish face, with tow small black eyes that rested above his triangular nose. He seemed to be rather tall- but this was probably due to the large top hat he wore atop his head, which matched the brown jacket that he wore over an orange turtleneck. Looking alarmed, the man turned to the boy who stood by his side. "I'm afraid I didn't see him Luke- he just appeared out of this air!" He man said in a similar British accent before he turned to look at the curious crew. "Is that man alright?"

"He'll live." Falco muttered as Luigi stood up and shakily walked back to join his friends, a little shaken but otherwise perfectly fine. "Besides, he's had a lot worse happen to him."

The man still looked concerned. "I'm terribly sorry I hit him-it was as if he just popped up onto the road before I could react!"

The young boy's eyes were now fixed on Falco and Meta-Knight in surprise. "Wow! Are you guys going to a costume party? You're costumes are amazing!"

"Actually, we're fighter from another world who were sent here by a giant hand to stop a great evil." Ike whispered, regaining consciousness as the others stared.

"Ignore him." Samus jerked a thumb at Ike while rolling her eyes. "He's a little messed up."

" I heard that Samus."

"-We were just about to go into town," Snake broke in as Samus was about to reach for one of her guns to blast Ike off the face of the earth, "when our car broke down. We started walking to see if there was help nearby, but we haven't seen anyone since."

Most of the other Brawlers gave him weird looks-not knowing what a "car" was- while the top hatted man smiled. "I see. Well, would you all like a ride into town in my car? You could call for a new one there."

Snake nodded at the man as the others eyed the car warily, wondering how they were all going to pile into the small red thing. "Thanks,uh..."

"Oh, how ungentlemanly of me not to mention my name." The man stuck out his hand with a smile. "My name is Professor Herschel Layton."

"And I'm his apprentice, Luke Triton!" The little boy exclaimed, as he poked Lucario in his side. "What exactly are you supposed to be? Some kind of dog in pajamas?"

Lucario gave Snake a "Help me" look, as the spy shook Layton's hand. "I'm Snake."

"Snake? Hm, that's an interesting name..." The man trailed off as he glanced at the large group of people in thought. "You know, fitting all of you into my car reminds me of a puzzle..."

* * *

><p><strong>* We interrupt this story to bring you an important message!<strong>

**The results are in for the Better Man Contest!**

**Snake: Good. Now everyone will see I'm the better man here.**

**Drake: You wish- I mean, look at me! I'm incredibly fit, handsome, and I can spout witty one-liners like a teapot!**

**Me: And the winner is...Snake!**

**Snake: Told you so.**

**Drake: What? I DEMAND A RECOUNT OF THE VOTES!**

**Me: Well Drake-only one person voted. So he wins no matter what.**

**Drake: THIS IS MADNESS!**

**Rosalina: No, this is Fanfiction. What do you expect?**

**Snake: Now, what shall I do about you...?**

**Drake: ?**

**Snake: I mean, you did lose after all. So you deserve some sort of humiliation...**

**Rosalina: He could wear one of Peach's pink frilly dresses!**

**Drake: NO! Please, have MERCY!**

**Me: Well, I'll work on that...**

*** Now, back to the fic!***

* * *

><p>In under five minutes, the professor and Luke had somehow managed to squeeze everyone into their car (with the exception of Pit, Meta Knight -who chose to fly-and Ike ,who was strapped to the roof since there was no space inside). It was a tight fit, and personal space was nonexistent since everyone was squished together like a can of sardines. Snake was wedged uncomfortably between Samus (whose armor was poking him in the shoulder) and Lucario behind Layton's seat-although the Professor's large hat prevented him from seeing out the front of the car.<p>

"So," Layton asked politely as he drove along, "Where are you all from?"

A jumble of noise followed this question, as everyone answered with their own worlds. Suddenly, a small voice squeaked out of Samus's backpack. "I'm from Hyrule!"

Surprised, Samus opened her backpack to find Toon Link staring at her in shock. "Oops..heheh...hi guys.." He laughed uneasily as the others glared at him. "How did you get here?"

"Layton, stop the car." Snake growled as he looked furiously at the boy, who hung his head in shame, knowing he was about to be in very big trouble.

The Laytonmobile came to a sudden halt as the Brawlers filed out, Samus dumping Toon Link unceremoniously onto the ground as she screamed at the top of her lungs "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"S-sorry Samus," Toony blubbered as he began to cry. "I J-just w-wanted to come along-"

_"Toony, Master Hand already forbade you to go!" _Even Lucario was upset now at the boy. _ "You've not only disobeyed Master Hand, but you snuck away without telling anyone-do you not understand how dangerous this mission is?"_

The boy mumbled under his breath. "I'm brave-nothing gonna happen to me."

Pit sighed. "Look Toony, this isn't like back at the Mansion, where you fall off the stage and re-spawn. There are no 1-ups, no hearts, no second chances! You hurt yourself or you die- you're not going to come back." The angel faltered as he saw how everyone was listening to him now. "This is our only shot-and we got to make to most of it!"

Everyone stood in silence and mulled over Pit's words before Layton gave a small cough. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but is the boy supposed to be here?"

Snake shot the kid one last look before he muttered "No, but he is now."

"BIRD!"

Ike ,who was still tied down to the roof of the car, pointed up into the sky. "Yes, very good Ike," Falco cooed sarcastically. "That's a bird alright."

Rosalina however, fixed her eyes on the spiralling form of the bird high up among the clouds. "Are birds around here usually that large?" She asked the Professor as the others now stared up at it.

"Large? What do you mean by-"

_Wham!_

The giant bird landed in front of the car with a gust of wind that knocked everyone to the ground as it's massive claw-covered wings blotted out the sun, casting darkness over the group. It hissed angrily, displaying a beak filled with thousands of sword-sized teeth, as it's red eyes locked on the struggling form of Ike on top of the car.

"What in the world is THAT?" Luke cried out as he hid behind Layton, who stared open-mouthed in shock.

""That," Snake said with a grim tone, "is one big bird."

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><p><strong>Cliffhanger!<strong>

**Snake: Darn it Wordy- just when it was getting good!**

**Drake: I have to agree- that was a bad place to stop.**

**Me: Well, I wanted to get an update out there, so I had to split the chapter into two. And yes, I know Professor Layton isn't much of a fighter, but he WAS going to be in Brawl. Someone even managed to make a move list for him and Luke (the Final Smash would have been a giant Ferris Wheel rolling around the stage and crushing people-pretty awesome).**

**Rosalina: Well, don't forget to review in the Review section!**

**Snake: Oh, and also make sure to check out "We Are Brawl", a poetry competition hosted by Wordy. You have until Thursday to submit your poems for Bowser, Dk, or Wario- who all have nothing on me by the way.**

**Me: Ok Snake, we get it. Until next time folks!**


	7. Birds and StarGazing

**Hello once again everyone-it's time for another update! I'm sorry this one is a little late- I've had a busy week, and I just completed this chapter yesterday.**

**Snake: ...Where's Nathan Drake?**

**Rosalina: Sulking. Apparently he lost in some awards ceremony over the weekend.**

**Me: Er yeah...congrats to _Skyward Sword_ and _Uncharted 3_ for taking home some awards during the VGA's on Saturday. Anyway, this chapter is a bit on the short side, mainly because it was part of Chapter 5 originally. However, I wanted to get Chapter 5 out on time, so I divided it into two and continued to work on the ending until I had something I was happy with.**

**This chapter was really difficult for two reasons: it had a somewhat-complicated fight scene, and had a few twinges of romance. I am not a romantic by any means, so it took a while to find a balance between the two extremes.**

**Snake: Extremes?**

**Me: Either making two characters have no connection-or having them making out the entire time.**

**Snake: Oh. Awkwaaard...**

**Me: So anyways, if there seems to be some awkward dialogue in the following chapter, I am terribly sorry for it. Hopefully I'll be able to get this down within a few chapters.**

**Snake: Enough talking-ON TO THE CHAPTER!**

**Me: Of course! Remember, I only own the giant bird. HOWEVER, the story Rosalina tells is my interpretation of the story told in _Super Mario Galaxy_-I did alter it slightly in order to tie together some upcoming plot points. Also, this chapter does contain some violence, so those who are squeamish about evil birds getting their back ends handed to them...you probably shouldn't read this update. Now, ENJOY!**

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><p>Chapter Six: Birds and Star-gazing<p>

"That," Rosalina heard Snake say grimly, "is one big bird."

The giant avian screeched and stepped closer to Ike, who began thrashing furiously as he tried to break from his bonds. "Hey guys," He screamed from the Laytonmobile,"could someone please kill this before it EATS ME?"

"You got it, Ike!" Pit flew up to hover around the bird's head, shooting light arrows into it's scale-like feathers. Meta Knight soared after the angel and began swinging his sword at the bird, diving just close enough to deal it a few blows before rocketing away. The bird seemed to roar in anger and whipped it's head around to try and stop the aerial attacks, but the two just kept coming.

Luigi began sending a barrage of green fireballs after it, watching as they bounced along the ground and exploded on impact against the beast's scaly legs. Falco removed his blaster and shot at it a couple of times while Snake and Samus unloaded missile after missile at it. Lucario's eyes flashed red as he formed a powerfully large Aura Ball, launching it at the last second and sending it careening into the side of the bird, smirking as he held Toony back from running over and stabbing at it's feet. _"Toon Link, this is not your battle to fight."_

"Come on Lucario-I can SO take him!"

"_Nonsense-you will be crushed if you get any closer!"_

"Go! SQURTLE!" Red triumphantly pulled out a Pokeball and threw it to the ground-where it just sat there. Red stared at it for a minute, then pulled out another Pokeball with a grin. "Go! CHARIZARD!" He threw this ball down to-but it just sat there next to the first. Rosalina, Toony, and Red all stared at it for a minute before Red took out the last ball and tossed it to the ground, throwing his hands up in the air in disgust as he went to stand with Layton and Luke. Apparently, he would not be fighting this fight-

* * *

><p><strong>*I hate to interrupt, but where the heck are the Pokemon?<strong>

**Squirtle: Squirtle squirt.**

**Me:...You're _protesting?_ You guys are my characters-you have to do as I say!**

**Ivysaur: Saur!**

**Me: Yes I know that Nintendo owns you guys-but still! You have to get back in there and fight!**

**Charizard: Char.**

**Squirtle: Squirt squirtle.**

**Ivysaur: Saur-IVYSAUR!**

**Me: No, I am not going to buy you a mansion in the Hamptons-but you guys BETTER be in the next chapter,or I may just start killing off characters...**

**Snake: ...But weren't you going to do that anywa-**

**Me: BACK TO THE FIGHT SCENE!***

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><p>"Hey Rosalia- help me out over here!" Ike ducked his head as a green fireball whizzed inches away from his face. Rosalina nodded and raced over, already pulling out her star wand as she approached the car. With a quick swish of her wand the rope was sliced neatly, allowing Ike to jump from the roof to the ground in a flash.<p>

"Ike- LOOK OUT!"

Falco's cry was drowned out as the bird finally had enough and lifted one of it's car-sized feet into the air and over the two figures beside the car. Not having enough time to get out of the way, Ike braced himself and closed his eyes, ready to face death by squishing.

The squishing, however, never came-although the noise was suddenly sucked out of the air around him.

Ike opened his eyes in surprise to find both he, Rosalina, and the Laytonmobile encased in a clear crystal dome, preventing the bird from stepping on them. Rosalina held her wand above her head, glaring into the bird's red eyes as it tried to bash the bubble to no avail. Ike could hear the noise of the battle outside, but most of the others had stopped to gaze upon them in shock and surprise as he stood in the silent bubble.

"How are you doing this?" Ike looked at the princess in awe, who gave a quick smile as her face became strained.

"Magic...although I will not be able to protect us for long..."

"I've got him-just let me go and I'll finish it off."

"Once I stop, we will have about five seconds worth of protection before it attacks us."

He nodded. "That's all I need." He backed up to the outer edge of the bubble behind the car, unsheathing his sword Ragnell as he prepared to take down the bird. "I"m ready."

"Go!" Rosalina sent a flash of light up as she broke the connection, causing the bubble to waver and begin to fade.

Ike took off, bounding onto the hood of the car and launching himself into the air with a cry of rage, his sword catching the sun and glittering like a golden spear as he seemed to float in space.

Ragnell was plunged deep into the breast of the bird as the momentum and weight of Ike caused it to sink further in and tear a vertical gash down the length of the bird's chest, dark black blood spurting out everywhere as it screamed in pain. For a moment it seemed to wobble, before it leaned to the left and began to topple like some sort of demonic tree. Slowly it fell, until it hit the ground with a sound like an explosion, it's eyes glazing over in it's last throes of death before it finally lay still and silent.

Everyone stood silently as the dust around them cleared, before they saw the blood-covered form of Ike rise up and wobble over to them, sword still in hand and a silly grin on his face.

Snake summed it up best. "Damn."

"No kidding." Pit and Meta Knight landed and joined the group, looking at Ike as if he had just taken down all of Hell.

Ike however looked to Rosalina, who had silently come up behind him. "Thanks for saving my ass back there-I would've been squashed if it weren't for you."

Rosalina's cheeks turned red as she nodded at the thanks, while Layton and Luke walked up with pale faces. Luke looked at Meta Knight, Falco, and Lucario in a new light. "...those aren't really costumes, are they?" He asked quietly.

The Brawlers all laughed-even Snake managed to smile- as Toony walked up to Luke. "Yeah-you'll get used to it." He said with a sigh, holding out his hand to shake. "I'm Toon Link-but everyone just calls me Toony."

"Oh, I'm Luke Triton. A pleasure to meet you."

"That is an impressive sword." Layton commented as he gestured at Ragnell. "You seem to handle it rather well."

"Oh, do you fight with a sword too?"

"Not recently, I'm afraid-but I am a bit of a fencer."

"Yeah Professor-tell him about the time where you dueled that one guy and brought down the entire building!" Luke cheered as he whispered to Toony "It's one of my favorites."

"How about we set up camp for the night?" Samus suggested as she pulled out something labeled '_Tent-In-A-Can'_. "It looks to be getting kind of late-and we all probably need to rest."

Luke looked at Layton pleadingly, who smiled warmly at his apprentice. "That sounds like a fine idea to me-I'll see if I have anything in my car that we can use."

"Don't bother-looks like Samus packed enough to make a house!" Red joked, causing Samus to take a swing at him as Falco snickered.

"...wait...guys? What are we going to eat?" Luigi asked, causing the group's good mood to fizzle up and vanish in an instant. Slowly they looked at each other before turning around and glancing at a possible answer...

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><p>"Who knew evil could taste so good." Meta Knight muttered as he gnawed on a large chunk of EBM (evil bird meat) from his spot in front of the small campfire that the group had gathered around. Everyone was in high spirits and had full stomachs, telling each other about the battle that they had fought that day and how they had all helped to bring down the bird. Toony and Luke sat a few feet away, talking like old friends.<p>

"So, you're telling me that in your world, there's an older version of you who never speaks, you fight in simulated battles with balls of glowing energy, AND a giant floating glove is your leader?"

"Pretty much."

"Weird."

"You have no idea."

However, not everyone was present at the fire. Rosalina sat a few feet away from the tents Samus had set up, gazing up at the clear night sky with her peaceful face bathed in the glow of the stars above. The stars were so different here; all the constellations she had known all her life replaced by new patterns that puzzled her. For a moment, she wondered if any of the stars in the sky had once been Lumas like in her world-or were things totally different in that regard as well?

"Let me guess-you're not a social person either."

Snake appeared out of the shadows behind her, regarding her silently as she shook her head with a soft smile. "Nights like these remind me of when I was just a little girl. My mother and I would sit outside on the grass and name all the stars and constellations we could see. It was one of the happiest moments of my life-just my mother and I with the whole universe suspended over our heads."

The spy took a seat on the grass beside the princess as he remarked "You sounded like you were close to your mother. Did something happen...?"

Here Rosalina took a ragged breath, her eyes closed as she remembered. "When I was very young, I lived with my mother and father in a small kingdom. It was a wonderful place filled with peace and laughter, and at the time it seemed as though my life was perfect. One day, my mother became very sick-so sick in fact that the doctors my father sent for told him there was no hope for her. A few weeks later she died..." Pausing to wipe a small tear from her eye, she continued softly. "My father was devastated-without my mother, he lost the will to live. Slowly he wasted away, until he too died of a broken heart...four months after mother had died, leaving me the last ruler of a kingdom that I no longer loved."

The silence that followed her words seemed to stretch on forever, until Snake finally murmured "...How did you even survive that?"

"It wasn't long after that I became the protector of the Luma race. They filled my heart with love and happiness again, and helped to take my mind off the world I had left behind. I never thought I would be alone after that...but it appears I was wrong."

"You're not alone though." Snake gestured at the laughing group by the fire. "They all have great respect for you-especially after what you did today."

Raising an eyebrow, Rosalina asked "So you did not have respect for me before?"

Snake winced. "Er, that's not true. I just thought that you were going to be like the other princesses I've met: giggly, air-headed, slightly insane."

She smiled at this last remark. "I suppose that is a good thing then." After a moment, she gazed back up at the stars. "My mother used to say that when the stars shined their brightest, good things were going to happen."

"Then I guess we're in for a bunch of luck."

And as the two of them watched the skies, Rosalina knew that somewhere in the heavens, her mother and father were smiling down at her in pride-pride for what their daughter had become.

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><p><strong>Rosalina:...wait...one of us is going to die?<strong>

**Me: It's true- within two to three chapters one of the Brawlers WILL BE KILLED OFF IN A HORRIFIC MANNER!**

***Gasps!***

**Me: Yeah...I've planned it out already and there's no changing it-you may be surprised as to who actually dies though.**

**Snake: As long as it's not me...**

**Me: Anyways, be sure to check out my poetry contest, _We Are Brawl_, which will update with the winning poems on Friday. That still gives you four whole days to write a poem for the featured characters (and please- see if you can use someone besides Kirby. I've gotten 5 AMAZING poems concerning Kirby, and it's beginning to stress me out over which one I have to pick.). Also, be sure to review _Stars of Destiny_- your input helps me figure out what I need to do in order to make this fanfic even more amazing!**


	8. Transportation by Socks

**Hello everyone-it's time for another installment of _Stars of Destiny! _**

**_Snake:_ No need to get so excited about it-I mean, it's just an update.**

**Rosalina: Well, maybe it's the only exciting thing that's happened to Wordy all week!**

**Me:Uh, I guess so...anyways, I wish to welcome Nathan Drake back from the VGA's-_Uncharted 3_ managed to grab two awards, so my congrats to all the folks at Naughty Dog who worked super hard to make the game!**

**Snake: Did he win Game of the Year?**

**Drake: No. Don't remind me.**

**Me: This week I'm going to take a slight break from the main quest in order to begin a bit of a side adventure for a cast I've really wanted to have starring role: the villains. In my mind, the villains of Smash Bros. acted like tough evil overlords when around the others...but what do they do when with other villains? Apparently, they have meetings in which they eat snacks and discuss certain aspects, such as the discrimination between themselves and heroes (don't ask how I came up with that one). It's interesting to see the true personalities of the villains when nobody is watching...**

**Snake: So we get an early vacation until next year?**

**Me: Yep! This will be the last chapter of the year until next year-which gives me plenty of time to work on the GIANT chapter I have planned. Until then, have a safe and happy holidays everyone!**

**Once again: Nintendo owns everything. **

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><p>Chapter Seven: Transportation by Socks<p>

Meanwhile, back at the Smash Mansion, a secret meeting was currently taking place in the rec room. Only the light from the lamp over the pool table illuminated the space, casting a pale glow over those present.

"Is everyone here?" Ganondorf asked in a silky whisper, gazing around darkly at the others.

"Hey, did anyone bring the snacks?" Dedede grumbled. "Because it was Wario's turn for snack duty last time, and he forgo-"

Bowser slammed a large box down on the table. "I brought cupcakes."

There were cries of delight as the group unwrapped their pink frosted treasures and Ganondorf cleared his throat. "Ok everyone. Welcome once again to the monthly Villain's Meeting. Now, would one of you please rise and recite our motto? Wolf?"

Wolf looked up from devouring his cupcake and rose from his chair; icing and crumbs speckled his muzzle as he garbled the motto through a cupcake-filled mouth. "Heroes should be given a swift kick in the ass." He sat back down to the light clapping of the others and resumed the demolition of his cupcake.

"Er ,very nice Wolf." Ganondorf noted, sliding a cupcake over for himself to eat later. "Now, I wish to thank Bowser for providing us with our snack today-did you make them yourself?"

The Koopa nodded with tears in his eyes. "I made them with love. They're organic and all-natural."

"Splendid! Well, we appreciate that you made them out of the kindness of your heart. Now, I believe the chief topic of discussion today is being handled by Bowser, but Wario has his own topic he wishes to share with us. Wario, do you want to start?"

The fat man nodded and stood up. "I think that the villains are not allowed the same rights as the heroes," he stated as he gulped the last of his cupcake. "Think about it-we are discriminated against all the time, we're not allowed to attend holiday events, we weren't even selected to go on the quest! I think the villains of Brawl should be given the same rights as the heroes they fight against-starting with our own private hangout spot. It would be like a mini villain's lair, with a giant TV and surround sound, and all the latest technology-heck, we could even throw in a hot tub for kicks!"

"Wario, that sounds like a very interesting point." Ganondorf scribbled down what he had said on a small purple notepad. "I'll ask Master Hand about it when I get the chance. Next on the agenda is Bowser."

The Koopa stood silently and glanced at everyone to make sure they were listening before he began. "Recently, I've been thinking about the quest Master Hand began a few days ago-"

"He was thinking? There's a first!" Dedede murmured to Wolf, causing Bowser to shoot him a glare as he continued.

"As I was saying, Master Hand selected a number of heroes for this quest to find heroes from other worlds to help us fight off some sort of 'evil'. That was when I realized something: if heroes were finding heroes, then why couldn't villains find villains?"

The others took a moment to think about what this meant before Ganondorf spoke slowly. "Bowser,that is a fantastic idea-except for one problem. Only Master Hand can open the portal that leads to other worlds. How are we to search for other villains if we can't even leave the world of Brawl?"

Bowser gave a toothy grin. "Well Ganondorf, think for a moment: who has the same powers as Master Hand?"

Ganondorf's eyes widened as he realized what Bowser was referring to. "_Him?_ I'm not quite sure he would be the best ally at the moment..."

"Why not?"

"Well, mainly due to his, how to put it, '_fragile' _mental state..."

Wario banged his fist on the table in disgust. "Well, what about that Midna person you talk about, Ganondorf?"

The dark lord winced. "Well...she and I aren't exactly on speaking terms after I turned her into an imp."

Dedede leaned back in his chair and smiled. "I have a solution, if any of you wish to hear it."

"What- you know someone who can open a portal?" The entire group leaned forward and fixed their eyes on the fat bird.

"What if I told you that I knew a way to get from one world to another?"

* * *

><p>"Dedede?"<p>

"Yes?"

"This is a pair of socks."

"Exactly!"

Wolf stared at the pair of striped woolen socks Dedede held in his flipper. The Villain's Meeting members had followed Dedede up to his room and were now huddled around him, wordlessly gazing at the socks. "They're. Just. Socks."

Dedede sighed. "No, these socks are special-they once belonged to a powerful sorcerer named Yin-Yarn, who used them to go from Dreamland to a place called Patchworld. Basically, you would go through one sock and pop out the other one in a different world."

"But the socks are both here!"

Now the penguin smiled. "Not for long-watch." He slipped one sock over his flipper and held the other. Then he pulled the sock off with the other flipper leaving one sock inside of the other. After giving it a shake or two, he turned it back inside-out to reveal that the sock was gone. "See? Now one sock is in another world. When we do this we have to be fast-I don't know where the sock will appear in the other world, or if something decides to have a little woolly snack."

"Um...ok?" Ganondorf looked uneasy at the thought of going through the tiny sock. "How do we all travel with it? It seems a little sma-"

Just then the sock began to glow with a yellow light, floating out of Dedede's flipper to hover in the center of the room. Slowly, Dedede and the other villains began to float too, as Dedede remarked "It seems as though we're about to enter another world."

Wario suddenly looked worried. "Where are we going anyway?"

Wolf shrugged. "Dunno. Hopefully someplace nice."

"Dedede," Bowser growled angrily, "I hope this isn't going to hurt."

"Relax Bowser, we'll be there before you kno-"

Before Dedede could finish his sentence, the group all became smaller and were catapulted inside the sock, disappearing with a flash and leaving the room quiet and empty again.

* * *

><p>Master Hand was sitting in his office, still fuming over the fact that Toon Link had snuck off with the questers. Would that boy ever learn how to listen? Sighing, he pushed some papers around with his index finger, humming a strange song that he somehow had once learned, but had forgotten the words to.<p>

It was just then that he felt two very strange disturbances in the atmosphere. One was powerful and lasted a few seconds, filling the Hand's consciousness with images of a red car and a top hat. _It seems that the questers have found a fighter to help us,_ he thought to himself, happy that things were going well.

The second disturbance was quicker, and seemed to originate from within the Mansion itself...almost like a portal had been opened somewhere. _Dedede's socks...I should have known that he would use them at some point. Then again...it wouldn't hurt to have a few others helping us in our fight. _Master Hand turned to look at a large portrait of all the Brawlers that hung behind his desk, taking in the faces that he had known for a while now. It was a sort of security measure he had enacted after the defeat of Tabuu-if a Brawler was either dead or about to die, then he or she would be erased from the portrait. Thankfully all of them were there, but he couldn't help but think of what may have occurred if Tabuu had won._Has it really been three years since Tabuu was defeated? It feels as thought it's been only days..._

Suddenly, he stopped as pure heart-stopping fear coursed through him. How had he not noticed it before? It was so obvious now...oh, why had he let them go? _I could have warned them of what was to come...I could have warned them...now it's too late._

For as he stared at the painting, one of the Brawlers was disappearing into nothingness...

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><p><strong>Yes, I know it's a bit of filler- but I'll make it up to you guys with the longest darn chapter I can write. A bit of a cliffhanger too...someone's definitely going to die. So, please remember to review in the reviews section-your input is the best gift I can possibly get this holiday. Also, don't forget that the results for <em>We are Brawl<em> shall be up tomorrow, so make sure to check that out as well.**

**Until then, write on folks!**


	9. Things get Crazy

**Hello my readers! I'm back!**

**Snake: That took forever! Where the heck were you?**

**Me: You do realize I have a life, right? I had work to be done! **

**Rosalina: Well, at least you updated.**

**Me: Right! This chapter is the first in a three-part arc concerning the new world. You may remember from last chapter that Layton and Luke joined the questers in their mission to defeat evil. So, where exactly are they heading next? Read on to find out!**

***I only own the shadowy-dragon-thingy near the end of the chapter. Nintendo owns everything else, including my soul XD***

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><p>Chapter Eight: Things get Crazy<p>

The light mist of dawn still hung in the air when Snake was woken by the sound.

He had been sleeping in the same tent as Falco and Lucario, the faint light of sun peeking through the mesh and dappling his stubble as his chest rose and fell in peace. Only in sleep was he calm and undisturbed...although he had trained himself to come fully awake at the slightest of disturbances. However, back at the Mansion he had been woken often, since everyone seemed to be up and about at some point during the night-this in fact was the true cause of his grumpiness. Out here in this world it was silent and peaceful, and overall a perfect place for him to finally have a full night of sleep.

_Whoosh!_

The sound of something moving past the tent caused Snake's eyes to shoot open, his body now tense as he listened carefully.

_Hehehe!_

Wait... was it _laughing_ at him? Now curious, Snake got up (careful not to disturb the other occupants) and slowly emerged out into the open.

The morning air was cool and heavy, with a dense layer of fog covering the campsite and making it difficult to see. As the spy gazed around in search of what had made the strange sound, he couldn't help but marvel at how peaceful everything was here. If evil truly was spreading out into new worlds, it would be a tragedy if it consumed this world, destroying the tranquility and replacing it with evil and hate. This was why their mission had to succeed: all worlds were at stake, and not just the worlds they were familiar with.

_Wheee!_

Some large round thing whizzed by Snake's head, causing him to duck as it giggled and zoomed off into the fog...wait, was the fog _glowing?_ Oddly enough, it seemed to be in the familiar shape of a-

"PORTAL!" Master Hand's warning echoed as Snake quickly raced over to the other tents, shaking them as hard as he could in an attempt to wake his companions. "Get up-the portal's going to close!"

Samus tumbled out of the tent in a flash, dashing over to the other tents to help Snake get everyone up. Rosalina looked sleepily outside, then gasped and moved quickly to the portal.

"Do you think you could somehow keep it from closing?" Snake yelled to the celestial princess.

"I think so, but only for a few seconds."

"That's all we need!" Snake watched as everyone piled out of the tents, with Layton and Luke looking wide-eyed at the chaos. "Is that everyone?"

Samus did a quick head count. "We're all here! Let's go!" Together the group ran to the portal, which despite Rosalia's effort had slowly begun to close. One by one they jumped through, with Layton and Luke following their lead and diving in as well. Snake was the second to last one to jump through pulling Rosalina after him as the portal closed and disappeared, leaving the still morning air silent again...although far off in the distance a faint giggling could be heard amid the trees.

* * *

><p>The ride was quicker than the previous one, and before Rosalina had time to catch her breath she felt herself catapult out the other end of the portal, rolling unceremoniously to a stop beside Snake. She could hear the other slowly getting up around her, and as she rose to dust off her gown she watched Toon Link stumble toward her. "Whoa...that was awesome!" He cried before he fell face down in the dirt.<p>

Layton stood up shakily, hit hat still magically on his head somehow. "What exactly was that?" He asked, eyes still spinning from the tumultuous ride.

"That is how you're going to be travelling from now on." Snake tried to say, although his face was still in the ground so it came out as more of a grumble.

Samus kicked Ike, who had passed out again. "Really? You destroyed a evil bird, but you can't survive a five-second ride to another universe?"

Red fell out of a tree again, looking around with recognition in his eyes. "Hey...this place kind of seems familiar."

Pit sighed. "That's because it's another flipping forest."

Everyone was on their feet at that point, and directed their attention to the area around them. They seemed to be in a forest on a hill, since if they looked behind them they could see a scattering of small towns, and in the distance what appeared to be a gigantic city. Strange sounds could be heard amid the trees, but other than that everything seemed relatively normal. They stood silently, looking down at the new place that lay before them and wondering where exactly they were.

They didn't have to wonder for long as a Pokeball hit Lucario on the side of the head.

"_Ouch!"_

"Aw man!" A voice rang out from amid the trees. The group turned to see a boy with dark hair scowling, throwing his hat with a pokeball to the ground in anger. "It didn't work!"

"That's because you have to damage it first, Hilbert." A girl dressed in short shorts and a pink pokeball hat popped up from behind a tree. "It's a rare Lucario-you have to get at least some critical damage on it before you can capture it."

"Well I can't, Hilda!" The boy seethed. "My Tepig and Pidove already fainted, and we're too far away from a Pokemon center to restore them, AND I ran out of Revives!"

Red's jaw nearly hit the ground. "Hey!"

The kids looked at him in surprise.

"Where are we?"

"Uh...this is Route One." The boy spoke slowly, uneasy because of the gleam in Red's eye. "Unova Region's Route One."

"What the heck is the Unova Region?"

The girl called Hilda sighed. "Really? It's the region home to the special Pokemon-you can't find them anywhere else. The other 500 or so sometimes pop up, but we haven't caught any of those yet."

Hilbert beamed proudly. "Professor Juniper just gave us out first Pokemon!"

Red's eyes turned to look at the magnificent view again. Now he could see strange new Pokemon flying through the air or running through the treeline-he even thought he saw some cloud-like being float past a mountain. "You mean I haven't caught them all?" He whispered softly, looking at the three balls in his hand, then staring back at the group. A whole new region filled with new Pokemon...

It didn't take him long to make a decision.

With a squeal of glee Red tore down the hillside, nearly losing his balance as he screamed out "I'M GONNA BE THE VERY BEST!"

Hilda and Hilbert decided to abandon the strange group, who stood there and stared at Red's retreating form. Finally, Meta Knight spoke. "Are we going to get him?"

Nobody said anything for a moment, until Pit replied with a cheery "Nope!"

"We cannot leave him." Rosalina murmured softly. "It would not be fair."

Samus shrugged. "He's probably happier here. Come on, let's go find our next fighter."

The questers slowly began to file down the hill, making their way down the the first town they saw below. However, the bushes rustled behind them as two strange figures dressed in a gray and white costume peered out from the brush. "Did you see that?" One hissed to the other. "They have a Lucario!"

"Yes, the poor thing must want so desperately to be free!" The other figure grinned. "Just wait until they get to Accumula Town-the king will make sure that this Pokemon is free forevermore!"

* * *

><p>"So this is what the Pokemon world looks like." Snake mused as the group entered the first town- which according to the colorful sign was known as "Accumula Town". Part of the town was built on the tall hill they had arrived on, with winding staircases connecting one area to the other. A gentle song was carried on the breeze from farther up, which filled the spy with an uplifting feeling. A few people milled about, but the whole place seemed relatively quiet at the moment. There was no sign of Red-although Snake wasn't too worried. Although a bit naive, he knew the kid could take care of himself.<p>

"Wow-this place in incredible, Professor!" Luke looked around with amazement as Layton chuckled.

"Yes Luke, this place reminds me a bit of Flora's home." His face grew worried at that point. "I wonder how she is-she must be worried about us by now."

Ike patted the professor on the back. "No worries-we learned that time basically stops in the universes when we leave. The only exception is the world of Brawl."

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Falco pointed to a grassy area where many people were gathering. "It looks like some kind of rally."

As they drew closer they could see two large blue banners with the letter 'P' on either side of the area. In the middle a group of men and women in strange gray-blue costumes stood, as if waiting for something. Confused, Layton gently tapped a blonde girl in front of him. "Excuse me miss, but what is going on?"

"Oh, it's Team Plasma-they're giving some sort of demonstration." She said with an excited gleam in her eye, turning back as the crowd fell silent and a man in a red and yellow robe appeared in the middle of the grass, the costumed people moving to flank his side.

"My name is Ghetsis." He spoke with a confident air, staring at each individual in the crowd as he continued. " I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon liberation."

"What?"

"Liberation?"

The crowd began to murmur, but fell silent as Ghetsis lifted a hand. "Think about it-we humans constantly use our Pokemon in battle or in competitions, all because we control them within a little ball. Is this truly what the Pokemon want? To be nothing more than a slave to us?"

Luke's eyes seemed to widen as the strange man continued. "This is why we must liberate our Pokemon, and free them from the oppression we have placed them into. Only then will people and Pokemon be able to live in true peace and harmony. So, I ask that you think about the words I have said today, and consider freeing your Pokemon in order to make it's life better." As Ghetsis stepped back, the people in costume surrounded him and walked away as the crowd dispersed, still muttering among themselves.

"What was that about?" Toon Link wondered as Luke shook his head.

"Well, these Pokemon things don't seem to want to be free," he remarked to the others. "They seem happy just being with their Trainers."

"How do you know that?" Rosalina asked the boy with a small smile.

"Oh, Luke has a special way with animals." Layton clarified as his apprentice nodded. "He seems to understand what they're trying to say-I suppose he can do the same with Pokemon."

"Excuse me-he can understand the Pokemon?"

A soft voice spoke behind Snake, who turned to see a young man with pale green hair and silvery eyes staring at Luke with wonder. The black and white hat on his head showed he was a Trainer, but his black and white outfit set him apart from the other trainers Snake had seen since he had arrived. "Could you tell me what Tepig is feeling?" The man said to Luke, as a strange pig creature popped up from underneath his jacket.

"Your...Tepig is happy." Luke said after a moment. "He enjoys being with you, and he doesn't mind fighting for you. It makes him feel good to win."

"Interesting...I never would have guessed that." The young man gently scratched the top of the Tepig's head, smiling slightly as he spoke. "You see, I can understand the Pokemon too-but I see their feeling a bit differently than yours."

"Hey! Give me back my Munna!"

The cry of a young girl made the questers and the young man look up in surprise. The blonde Layton had questioned before was trying to get at a member of Team Plasma, who held a Pokeball triumphantly over his head.

"Don't worry little girl, we're doing you a favor. Now your Pokemon will be free!" He said with a grin, as another member laughed as the girl's distress.

"Not so fast!"

Pit flew into the air, grabbing the Pokeball out of the grunt's hand and giving it to the girl (who quickly ran off with a smile of thanks) before swooping down to land back with the questers.

"Hey!" The grunt yelled in anger as he and his companion moved menacingly toward the group. "Nobody messes with Team Plasma! You're going to pay for disrupting our plans-"

"Stop!"

They all turned as the green-haired boy stepped forward, his Tepig shooting smoke out of it's snout in anger. The goons gasped and back up a few steps, crying out in unison "Lord N!"

"Your goal is to free Pokemon from their masters, _not_ to rip them violently from them!" N muttered softly, as he held up two Pokeballs in his hand. "I will battle you if you leave these people alone-they were only doing what is right."

"That is not what Ghetsis wants us to do." The lead grunt said, as he held up his own Pokeball with a sly grin. "Yet Master ghetsis seems to have neglected to tell you that-so allow me to explain it to you." He threw his ball down with a cry of "Go Herdier!"

The ball hit the ground-and lay still. Then it clicked open slightly, as purplish-red smoke began to pour from it, condensing into a figure before their eyes.

"That is _not_ a Herdier!" The smaller grunt yelled, as they began to back away. "Let's get out of here!"

"Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?" Samus asked wryly as the smoke thing grew bigger and bigger and the goons ran for their lives.

"This does not look promising." Rosalina replied as she pulled out her star wand, while the others took out their various weapons.

Suddenly, the thing condensed into a large dragon-like creature with two long wings. It appeared to have some sort of mask over it's face, but the rest of it's body was made up of a smoky skeleton. It's eyes shone blacker than night, and it's four massive legs were tipped with feet the size of a small car, with three claws each the size of a refrigerator.

"Holy Arceus...what _is_ that?" N whispered in awe as the thing hissed as it spied the group. With a bellow that shook the earth, it charged at them, lowering it's massive head to impale them on it's mask .

It would have succeeded too, if not for the giant lasers that came from the sky.

Five large laser beams shot from the heavens, shocking the beast and causing it to fly backwards, dissolving back into the Pokeball almost as quickly as it had formed. The Pokeball itself began to melt, until all that was left was a red-white puddle on the ground.

Nobody moved as a large white hand fell from the sky, landing in front of them daintily on it's index finger. Layton, Luke and N all stared, while Ike fainted again as Rosalina timidly asked "...Master Hand?"

The hand rose from it's finger and floated in the air, turning to face them as the Brawlers gaped."The name's Hand." It boomed in a ridiculously fake British accent. "_Crazy_ Hand."

* * *

><p><strong>Quite a lot of developement-not only did Red run off, but N from <em>Pokemon BlackWhite_ and Crazy Hand have joined our questers! Those who know about N know his little secret-it shall be woven into the plot as our arc continues along. Sorry that the battle was extremely short-I needed to have Crazy pop up in someform, and rescuing the Brawlers seemed like a good idea.**

**I also need to apologize for last chapter and the OOC villains. I always imagined the villains as being really nice, misunderstood people deep down inside-hopefully no one's ofended by their lack of evil. **

**Now, we're about halfway through _Stars of __Destiny_, and I've begun work on the second fic in this series. It's going to be called _Shattered __Starlight_, and will feature new characters and points of view (although it will directly connect from this fic). I'm about 6 chapters into writing the rough draft, and I may need some beta readers to take a look at it-more info on that in later chapters. **

**Please make sure to review-I've taken time out of my life to write these fics, and your reviews help me to decide what to do next. I can't garuntee an update anytime soon, but you can always check out my contest _We Are Brawl_, or read my entry for a contest called _Child's Play_ while you wait for the next installment.**

**Until next time!**


	10. A Feeling That I've Never Known Before

**Greetings friends and others! We're about 5-7 chapters away from the end of this fic-but don't let that get you down! We still have a few twists to get through before we end this part of our tale. At the moment I've written about 30-40 pages of the next fic (called _Shattered Starlight_), and I'm wrapping up _We Are Brawl_ next week, so expect me to get back into a update cycle by March.**

**If there is one thing I stink at, it's writing romance. I CANNOT write romantic scenes to save my life-so this chapter was so far the most difficult one for me yet. Yet, every character need something to tie them to another, and romance usually is the best tie to use. I'll post more about this chapter at the end of the fic, so make sure to check out some of the secrets and Easter eggs I managed to slip in.**

**Everything is owned b****y ****Nintendo.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine: A Feeling That I've Never Known Before<strong>

"Crazy Hand?" Meta Knight sputtered as Rosalina gazed at the floating hand. Although he looked to be the same as Master Hand, Crazy Hand was slightly smaller and dirtier than his counterpart, and seemed to move with a wild enthusiasm.

"Oh, hi guys." Crazy seemed to relax a bit, taking on a soft Australian accent as he slowly wriggled his fingers in the air. "How's it going?"

Snake looked ready to explode-although Rosalina figured he always tended to look like this. "What are you doing here, Crazy?"

"You know me-I'm just passing through life, chillaxing. Managed to find some more of my meds-I ran out of them at home a day or two ago, so I went looking for more."

"Crazy." Samus spoke slowly, as if talking to a small child. "You've been gone for a year and a half."

Now the hand paused in moving its fingers. "Ah! That explains why I feel different-I missed my birthday!"

"The hand is...speaking." N was not taking Crazy Hand's appearance well, as he clutched a cube necklace to his chest and shuddered, his face as pale as snow.

"Yeah...he does that sometimes." Ike, who had recovered from his faint, looked at the strange boy. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm N. N Harmonia." The boy said softly, still not taking his eyes off of the white hand.

This statement caused Luigi to look at him with curiosity. "Those Plasma guys back there...they acted like they knew you well. Why?"

N's cheeks burned as he bowed his head in shame. "The man who gave that speech earlier-Ghetsis...he's my father. I'm considered to be the king of Team Plasma."

The group stared at him in shock as the boy sputtered. "I had no idea that Team Plasma was kidnapping innocent Pokemon from their owners though-Father told me that he was only doing what was right! _He's_ the true leader-but if I had known I would never had-"

N froze as Rosalina laid a gentle hand on his thin shoulders. "Then help us make it right again." She murmured with a smile. "Darkness has entered this world, and we need to stop it before it spreads through groups like Team Plasma. If you want to repay for your actions, then assist us in fighting this evil."

N paused and looked at her before silently nodding, as Crazy Hand remarked happily "Well, looks like I'll be going then."

"Wait...Crazy, can you create a portal?" Meta-Knight asked as Crazy scratched his palm with his pinkie finger.

"A portal? I dunno-I may. Lemme try." Crazy whirled his index finger wildly in the air then pointed it straight ahead...as a pink unicorn leaped from his finger and dashed into the forest.

"Huh...guess I can't."

Layton stared after the strange beast. "Are you sure we should let that go?"

"Yeah-trust me, it's going to be looked at like another weird Pokemon."

"_**GUYS!"**_

Looking up, Snake spotted a familiar figure rushing towards them, the hat on his floppy hair bouncing up and down as he waved his arms wildly. "Oh hell no." He muttered as Ike looked up, saw who it was, and nearly fainted again.

"_**IT'S ME! RED!"**_ Red came to a halt as he reached the questers, jumping in place in excitement as he spoke. " Did you find the fighter yet-CRAZY! Oh my Arceus you're ALIVE! I can't believe you guys went looking for me!"

Took link was about to disagree when Red spotted N's Tepig meekly peering out from his jacket. "WOW! Is that a new Pokemon?"

"Yes..." N gave the trainer a strange glance as Tepig hid. "This is Tepig. I have Dewott and Serperior with me also, but they're too big to follow me around."

"I have Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard." Red bragged to the green-haired boy. "All level 100 of course-gotta have the best after all."

"This is all very nice," Luke said, "but shouldn't we be continuing our journey?"

"Right." Snake agreed with Luke before turning to N. "Apparently this region is bigger than I thought-is there anyone around here that's a powerful fighter?"

N looked thoughtful. "Well, there's an old legend that the great dragons Reshiram and Zekrom sleep underneath the caverns of Twist Mountain. They're said to be incredibly wise-maybe they'll be able to lead you to the fighter you're looking for."

"How far away is this 'Twist Mountain'?" Rosalina asked, as N pointed at a large mountain far off in the distance.

"About two days on foot-three if we take the Route through the desert instead of cutting through the woods."

"Then we'll take the quicker route." Samus decided. "Crazy, Red, are you two coming?"

"Of course I am!" Red puffed out his chest, while Crazy cackled (Samus assumed this to be a yes).

"What are we waiting for?" Luigi lowered his cap over his ears and began to walk. "Let's a-go!"

* * *

><p>Night fell upon them after walking for hours, so the group settled into a camping spot south of a place N called Castelia City. Snake sat by himself a bit farther away from the tents, staring at the glowing skyscrapers in the distance-and trying not to notice N and Rosalina talking together. The two had talked the entire time since they had started moving, apparently becoming quick friends as they had walked along. Of course, Crazy had sung the same song about biting dust the entire time, so Snake could understand why they had talked for so long. Although, whenever he saw the two, he couldn't help but feel a shade of...something.<p>

At that moment N said something that made Rosalina laugh, before the two walked back to their respective tents. Snake felt a twinge of the same emotion as he watched them...wait, he wasn't _jealous_, was he? No, that couldn't be right...or could it? Was he beginning to feel something for the princess? Sure she was beautiful and smart like the other princesses, but she was also selfless and giving-something he hadn't expected to see from her. It was this trait in particular that had made him respect her-and softened him slightly.

"Maybe that's it." He thought aloud. "I'm getting too soft."

"You like her, don't you?"

Snake flipped around as Crazy Hand floated up beside him. "I don't know what you're talking about." He grumbled, trying his best to look convincing.

Crazy didn't buy it. "I knew it! You like that princess-person!" The hand whacked him on the back, nearly causing him to roll down the hill. "Good for you, Snakey!"

"Ssh! Don't be so loud!" Snake rubbed his now aching back. "And DON'T call me Snakey-unless you want to lose a finger."

"Whatever you say. Does she know?"

"Does who know?"

"The princess person!"

Snake glared as Crazy continued. "You know, they call me for a reason..."

"They've never called you 'Dr. Love'!"

"Well, that's what I called myself. Did I ever tell you about my girlfriend? She was so pretty-all shiny and round...the best robot ever. Can't remember her name though-I think it was Gladys or something."

Great, even the psycho floating hand had a girlfriend at one point. "Look Crazy, we're about as different as night and day. Even if I told her, it would never work out- she'd choose her home and those star-things over me."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. Besides, she deserves a better man than me-someone with a heart." The spy rose without a sound and walked to his tent, trying to push the thought of the princess from his mind...and finding it increasingly difficult as each second passed.

"Poor guy." Crazy whispered to himself. "He really has no idea."

* * *

><p>The first thing Rosalina noticed as she entered the tent was Samus in her Zero Suit, sitting on her sleeping bag and smiling for no reason at her. Already she knew something was wrong; Samus had never smiled without a reason.<p>

"It seems you have something you wish to tell me, Samus."

Her friend leaned forward, a knowing look in her eyes as she spoke. "You like him, don't you?"

"Pardon?"

"You like him."

"Him?"

"Solid Snake-don't deny it!" Samus practically yelled as the princess opened her mouth to protest "I've seen that sappy look you get when you two talk."

Was it true-did she really look at him like that? Rosalina let her mind wander away as she thought. The spy wasn't exactly a people-person...but he was one of the bravest individuals she had ever met. And he did have a slight charm about him, although he seemed to hide it with a cold exterior. The more she thought about it, the harder it was to deny Samus' accusation.

"I...I believe you may be right." She held up a hand to cut off Samus, continuing quickly "Yet I cannot act on my feelings. Once this quest has ended I will have to find my Lumas and go home...if I tried to pursue a relationship it would only end in heartbreak-for both of us."

The bounty hunted gave the princess a questioning glance. "Why don't you stay then? You could live at the Brawl Mansion with your Lumas- Master Hand would be happy to let you join us."

"The stars have always been my home-it's where I watch over everything. How would I be able to watch over the cosmos from the ground?"

"If we defeat whatever attacked you, maybe there won't be a need to watch over the cosmos. Maybe things will go back to being safe." Samus tried not to yawn as she stretched her arms."Well, I'm going to sleep. Hopefully we'll find the next fighter-and find a way for you to stay."

Rosalina nodded and turned to look at the stars above that shone through the tent. Once her destiny had seemed clear, but now it was growing cloudier and harder to see day by day.

What was she going to do?

* * *

><p><strong>Crazy Hand always reminded me of the character Taggart from the TV show 'Eureka' (for those of you who have seen it-you rock), so I gave him an accent that was equally crazy. Apparently he's also a Queen fan, and he had a famous girlfriend at one point (if you can figure out who she is I'll be impressed).<strong>

**By the way, did you know that originally Ike and Lucario were going to talk to Snake about his aching heart? There was some great comedic banter between the two (they don't see eye-to-eye on the subject of love), but I had to ultimately change it to just Crazy Hand, since I felt that they didn't do much to help poor Snake. **

**Get ready for another new update soon: next time will be a huge twist!**

**Until next time!**


	11. Mission Improbable

**Chapter Ten is here! I'm going to skip the long and boring stuff i usually say this week, because this chapter is a shocker. Well, at least it is if you haven't been listening to what I've been saying for a while. I will point out three things though: The lyrics at the beginning are from _Hey You_, by Pink Floyd (perfect Crazy Hand song), there are a few Easter eggs I placed throughout the chapter, and NINTENDO OWNS EVERYTHING. Except the crystal stuff.**

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><p>Chapter Ten: Mission Improbable<p>

"_But it was only a fantasy _

_The wall was too high as you can see _

_No matter how he tried he could not break free _

_And the worms ate into his-_"

"_Crazy!_" Falco snapped angrily. "Will you _please _stop singing?"

The hand stiffened angrily. "Well Falco, I suppose you just don't appreciate my golden pipes."

Falco groaned as Crazy began singing to himself again. The group of questers had only been awake for about an hour, and most of them were still rather tired and sat outside their tents in a stupor as Samus, Snake, N, Lucario, and Rosalina examined a map of the Unova region.

"So in order to reach Twist Mountain we have to cross over two peninsulas, go through the desert, and make our way through four slightly large cities?" Snake squinted at the small writing before looking at N. "Isn't there an easier way?"

The boy shook his head. "It's impossible-the only way I can think of is by using a Pokemon to fly to Iccurus City and enter the mountain there." He pointed a finger at a spot in the map next to the mountains. "Unfortunately, none of my Pokemon can fly."

"But I can!" Crazy Hand soared over their lands, landing in front of them and bouncing happily up and down. "I'm an amazing flyer-I could be a bird!"

"Crazy, you can't carry all of us there," Red scoffed angrily as he puffed out his chest. " Although my Charizard's strong enough to take along-and safe too!"

"Can Crazy and Charizard carry some of us, and Meta-Knight and Pit fly along?" Rosalina asked the group. "Pit could carry one of the children, and the rest of us could ride on Charizard or have Crazy carry us."

"I can carry about four people in my fingers-two people could hold onto my knuckles," the wild hand commented.

"Charizard could maybe hold three people-and Lucario could be put in his Pokeball!" The Aura Pokemon's eyes widened in pure panic at Red's words, but the others ignored him and nodded in agreement instead.

"I guess it's settled then," Snake allowed a ghost of a smile to pass over his face. "Let's fly."

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>I'M GONNA DIE!<strong>_" Ike screamed as Crazy Hand zoomed through the sky, with the mercenary praying that the hand would not drop him.

"Shut up Ike!" Samus yelled from the opposite finger, while Snake and Layton tried not to look down. "We all don't wanna die!"

Luigi let out a cackle from the top of Crazy's knuckles, making Falco give him a strange look as Pit and Luke zoomed by and Meta-Knight barrel-rolled above them.

"This reminds me of when I used to sail," Took Link mused from Charizard's back, where N, Red, and Rosalina had been placed. "The water was as blue as the sky...even the clouds seemed trapped under their waves."

Rosalina, who held Toon Link in her lap, looked surprised. "Your world was filled with water?"

"Yeah, Ganondorf flooded it all."

"_Of course he did!"_ A grumpy voice remarked from one of Red's Pokeballs. _"He never manages to think things through."_

"Lucario, I think I liked it better when you were all wise and peaceful," the Hylian boy said aloud, while N and Red smirked.

"_That was before you stuffed me into this little ball. I HATE small spaces-it makes me nervous."_

"Well, we're almost there," N pointed at a tall blue-gray mountain ahead. " That's Twist Mountain-deep inside at its center is where the Dragon Pokemon sleep."

"Hey N?" Samus called out as she glanced at the ground below. "Do people usually come to Twist Mountain?

"Well, it used to be a mine a couple years ago, but people stopped working there after a bunch of protest about awaking the dragons. Why do you ask?"

"Because it really doesn't look abandoned at the moment!"

Now Rosalina and the others could see what Samus meant: down below a large amount of activity was taking place at the mountain. Machines roared through the rocks and spat dust into the air, as a large scooping machine lifted pounds of crushed stone away from a large hole in the middle of the mountain. The sides had been scooped out with debris piled up around the hole, making it seem more like a volcano than a mine.

"Quick, Crazy-we've got to see what's going on!" Falco ordered as Crazy and Charizard descended to land at the top of the hole. Everyone gathered around to peer over the side at the action below.

"Those guys are from Team Plasma," Luigi pointed at a group of men. "They're wearing the same ugly pajamas!"

"Hey-_I _designed those uniforms!" N hissed in reply.

Luckily nobody commented on that remark as Rosalina asked "So what are we going to do?"

"Well, we can't get into the mountain with those guards right there-and I doubt they'll let N in after yesterday," Snake noted while N shot him a glance.

"We can't sneak in either-there are too many of us," Ike whispered. "Maybe if Samus took off her armor and ran around in her Zero Suit, the guards would be distracted long enough to let some of us sneak by."

"That is the worst idea I've ever heard!" Pit elbowed Ike in the ribs. "Besides, Samus would never agree to tha- where is Samus anyway?"

"Ahem."

The group turned to see Samus standing before them in the uniform of a Team Plasma grunt, looking impatient. "I distracted a couple of guards and knocked them out-there should be enough uniforms for us all," she muttered, her eyes flaring as they stood there and stared. "What? Is there something wrong?"

"Uh, not anymore," Meta-Knight remarked as the others nodded in agreement. "Not all of us will be able to fit into the uniforms however-we'll have to find different way of getting in."

Layton snapped his fingers as a thought crossed his mind. "What if those who can pass as Team Plasma members go into the mountain, and the rest of us and I cover the outside area?"

"But Professor, you'd be able to fit into a uniform," Toon Link told the gentleman.

"No, my hat would be too large for the hood."

"Then why don't you take it off?"

An awkward silence followed this comment, until Lucario yelled from the Pokeball Red held "_Will someone PLEASE let me out now?"_

Red quickly let Lucario free, staring at his Pokemon friend as the poor thing curled into a fetal position on the ground. "So some of us are going to walk into the mountain...and then what?"

"We'll figure out why Team Plasma has become so interested in this area," Snake replied simply as he held up a Team Plasma uniform. "Time to suit up...and hope this works."

* * *

><p>"This is<em> not<em> going to work!" Red tugged on his uniform as he and the other human figures walked alongside N, who had decided to go without a uniform.

"It will-Team Plasma will listen to me, since I am their true leader," N shot back.

"Samus?" Rosalina pulled her hood a little further over her hair. "How exactly did you distract the guards?"

Samus merely smiled. "It's a secret to everybody."

"Quiet-we're almost there. Just act natural," Snake hissed to everyone, who bunched behind N as they reached a large hole in the mountain, where a dozen guards stood.

"Lord N!" The guards bowed as the green-haired trainer approached. "Your father has been waiting for you!

N actually looked surprised. "He is?"

"Yes-we were told to escort you to him if you came here."

"Oh. Well then, lead the way."

One of the guards gestured to two others, who began to walk into the mountain with N and the others following behind.

The tunnel was faintly lit by small lanterns scattered through the narrow passage, and a cool breeze blew in from outside. The group couldn't help but marvel at the stalagmites that jutted out at them from every angle as they ventured deeper into the mountain.

Five minutes later they emerged into a giant cavern , where a small shaft of sunlight lit up the figure of Ghetsis, who stood next to two humongous rock formations. "Man-those rocks look really weird," Ike muttered as they approached N's father.

N looked like he was either going to faint or be sick to his stomach. "Those aren't rocks-they're the forms of Reshiram and Zekrom."

Indeed, Rosalina could see that the rocks were dragonesque in appearance, with rocky wings and faint outlines of their features that made them look like sleeping statues. Ghetsis was facing these stones, but turned as he heard them approaching.

The king of Team Plasma fell at the feet of his father. "Forgive me father-my actions have brought great shame to both you and to me."

"Get up." Ghetsis' voice was as cold as his eyes as he regarded the cowering form of his son. He continued as N rose shakily from the ground. "Quit your groveling."

"Father, I'm sorry if I have angered you-"

"-I expected you to act like you did. You're just as weak as I thought you were." Seeing N's confusion, Ghetsis let out a barking laugh. "You really thought you were the leader of Team Plasma? Stupid fool. You're nothing more than a puppet, a pretty figurehead for the true power-me. _I _am the true leader of Team Plasma."

The Team Plasma grunts surrounded the questers on every side, their lips curled in distaste as their leader turned to face the sleeping dragons.

"Reshiram and Zekrom, black and white, truth and ideals. They are opposites, yet they are equal-and they both posses great power. Yet, they are nothing compared to the treasure they guard." The man knelt and pulled something from the dirt: a strange glowing blue crystal."This mineral is special-it gives the user ultimate power, if only for a few seconds. The whole of Twist Mountain is filled with it, which was the reason the mine closed down-no one wanted the power to fall into the wrong hands." He turned back to his son, the crystal's glow illuminating his face in a mask of madness. "What fools they were. Now I will control not only the Unova region, but all the regions and all the Pokemon. I will be a god!"

"NO!" N held out a hand to stop his father, but the man pressed the crystal into his skin before he could stop him, watching and cackling as it melted into his veins and filled him with a glowing Ghetsis began to change, his body expanding as two broken wings sprouted from his back, and a mask covered his reptilian face.

"He's becoming Kyureum, the Boundary Pokemon," N gasped as the Team Plasma grunts ran for their lives, while the questers could only watch as Kyureum roared and made the cavern shake.

"Let's take him down then!" Snake roared as they all raced towards it. Ike leaped onto the beast's back and tried to strike it with his sword, but his blade bounced off.

"It's whole body is made of ice," he told Snake. "My sword's no use!"

"Then we attack it with fire!" Luigi shot a multitude of fireballs at the Pokemon, but it swept them away with it's tail, hissing in anger as it gazed at the green plumber.

"Oh...that didn't work," Luigi muttered, as he ran from the icy spears Kyurem threw, while N and Red sent out Tepig and Charizard to combat the thing. The two Pokemon fainted however as the icicles hit them with blinding force.

"That's impossible-fire shouldn't be weak to ice!" Red said as Charizard returned to his Pokeball.

N gazed at the glowing crystal under Kyurem's feet. "If I can get to that crystal, maybe I could use the power to combat fa-Kyurem."

"Don't even think about it, kid," Snake dodged the Pokemon's snapping jaws as he spoke to N. "It would just corrupt you too!"

"Snake, we are running out of time!" Rosalina shot a beam of sparkling light and managed to blind Kyurem for a moment as she looked at the cavern ceiling. "The whole place could come crashing down at any mom-"

_CRACK!_

Suddenly, a large stalactite broke from the ceiling, and fell straight down towards Rosalina.

"Look out!"

Red barreled into the princess, knocking her out of the way as the rock came smashing down in a cloud of dust. "Red!" Snake looked to see if the boy was okay, but the dust was too think. Quickly he turned to Rosalina as the others raced over. "Can you make a shield for us?"

She nodded and caused a large clear bubble to surround the fallen stone as Snake stepped over-and froze.

Red smiled weakly, the lower half of his body completely crushed by the rocks. "Snake...I can't feel my legs."

The spy knelt down next to the boy. "Just hang in there Red-we're going to get you out of here. You're going to be okay." He began to try to pull the stone off of Red, but it was too heavy.

"Snake, stop." The trainer coughed slightly. "I'm stuck-it's no use. You have to let me go."

"Like hell I will!" Snake growled, his body giving out from the effort as he fell to his knees beside Red. "There's no way I'm letting you go."

"Listen to me Snake," Red grasped his friend's shoulder. "I know that I annoy you, that you find me stupid. I'm okay with that. You know why? Because I'm happy with who I am. I've been able to go and do things I've never thought I would do, and make friends with the most unlikely people. Yet, there has only been one person I've looked up to all this time...you. You are my hero Snake: you're smart, sarcastic, and a little cold...but I know that you will fight with everything you have to protect your friends."

"Red..." Snake saw the boy shudder slightly, and supported his head as Red wheezed slightly. "Hang in there."

"No Snake-my journey is over. You'll have to leave me here." A soft smile passed over Red's face as he shakily held up his Pokeballs. "When you find the hero, release these guys for me-they should be free. And Snake?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you make sure to bury me in Pallet Town? I never had the chance to go home much when I was training with my Pokemon-I haven't seen it in years."

Snake nearly lost control of his emotions as he saw the pleading in Red's eyes, but he managed to hold it back. "You got it, Red."

"Thanks Snake. One last thing though." Red used his last bit of strength to whisper something in Snake's ear before he collapsed in his arms, his breathing becoming difficult. "Defeat whatever is doing this, Snake. I believe you can...now you have to believe in yourself."

And with one final shudder, Red, the Champion of Kanto and the hero of Pallet Town, died in Solid Snake's arms amid the destruction.

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><p><strong>RIP Red-you will be fondly remembered by all. :(<strong>

**I'll begin work on Chapter 11 soon, so expect an update by mid-March if all goes ok. Until next time folks!**


	12. Truth and Ideals

**Hello everyone-the next update has arrived! I honestly didn't expect to write this in one week, but somehow my muse cooperated and I managed to write this entire thing! **

**A note before we begin: I know the dragon Pokemon Reshiram and Zekrom are supposed to both be male. The thing is...well, if the two are complete opposites, wouldn't one of them be female? It made sense to me, but I hope no Pokemon purists get annoyed at the gender switch.**

**Remember, I own only the crystal stuff, because Nintendo owns everything else!**

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><p>Chapter Eleven: Truth and Ideals<p>

Snake waited there for a moment with Red in his arms, hoping that somehow the boy would lift him head or take a breath-anything to prove there was a chance to save him. Yet he was gone-the life had faded from him.

N and Rosalina watched as a single tear streaked down the spy's face, glistening on his cheek for a split second before it was wiped away. "What do we do?" N asked softly as Snake gently laid Red down and got up, his sorrow contained only in his eyes.

"We take this thing down in any way possible-Red would have wanted that."

N looked at his feet and picked up a shard of the blue crystal, examining it in his hand as Samus spoke up. "The others should be here soon though-"

"We can't afford to wait any longer. The last thing we need is more people dying," Snake cut her off as the group fell silent again.

"Then let's level the field," N murmured as he pressed the crystal to his arm, stiffening as its white- hot energy raced through his veins.

"N? What exactly are you-"

Ike paused as N's eyes lit up with a yellow fire and his body took on a golden glow. He shot up into the air and out of the shield, while the Boundary Pokemon tracked him with its beady eyes. The green-haired trainer bowed his head to the three Pokeballs in his hand. "Let the power of truth and ideals be released!" He cried, as he threw his head back and closed his eyes as the world flashed to black and white.

"What the-Snake, what's happening?" Luigi shuddered as the cave rumbled ominously.

"He's...using a Final Smash."

Suddenly, the rock-encased Reshiram and Zekrom made a loud cracking noise, as thousands of tiny cracks spread across their gravely surfaces. Then the rocks slid off, revealing the beautiful black form of Zekrom, and the vast white body of Reshiram. The dragon Pokemon shuddered and opened their eyes simultaneously, growling low in their throats as they spotted Kyurem. Like twins they spread their wings and launched themselves into the air, hovering beside N like two guardian angels. For a single second the trio was suspended above the chaos, as all eyes gazed up at their mighty forms in awe.

With a roar Reshiram unleashed a fiery blast, while Zekrom sent a orb of energy crashing down to Kyurem. The two opposing energies struck the dragon below at the same moment, causing it to bellow in pain as it slowly toppled over and hit the ground with a thud. A blue fire spread over the Pokemon as it seemed to fold in on itself, gradually shrinking until it resumed the form of Ghetsis-then turned into ash and scattered across the cavern floor as the world returned to normal.

Ike yelped as some of it came into contact with his boot, while Samus rolled her eyes as N descended back to the ground. Rosalina made the shield disappear just as there was the sound of an explosion. A plume of dust burst from one of the cavern walls as Falco and the others emerged into the cavern, obviously ready for battle.

"Ok guys, let's take down Team Plasm-uh?" Toon Link's jaw nearly hit the floor as he watched N descend back towards the floor, seeming to ignore the Pokemon that still floated above him.

Snake gave a low whistle as N's feet touched the ground. "That was pretty incredible, kid."

N gave the spy a small nod of thanks, before turning around and bowing low to Reshiram and Zekrom, who landed behind him. "I am sorry to have disturbed you, Great Ones."

"_Do not be," _A deep male voice thundered, as Zekrom tilted his head. _"We were wrong to seal ourselves away for so long- darkness has crept back into Unova in our absence."_

Snake stepped forward to stand beside N. "We're trying to stop whatever's causing the darkness," he said as his voice echoed in the large space. "In order to do that though, we need to find a hero from this world to help us. We've come all this way to ask you if you know who our hero is."

"Snake," Rosalina murmured softly behind him, "I believe we've already found the hero we are searching for." She glanced at N, who looked bewildered and surprised.

Zekrom's voice rang out again. "_The lady of the stars is right-the hero you search for has already been found. He has proven himself by rejecting the evil and darkness his father brought into this world by wielding the power of truth and ideals."_

"So why wasn't there a portal when we first found N?" Falco seemed puzzled as he scratched his head.

A melodic female voice answered, _"You had not known that N was the hero you searched for. First he had to prove himself, like all heroes do." _

"Reshiram? You're..." N struggled to find the right word as Reshiram ruffled her wings in amusement.

"_Yes- while Zekrom represents masculinity and darkness, I represent femininity and light. Together we balance Unova, for without one of us there cannot be the other."_

At that moment, Crazy Hand came swooping in, pausing as he floated in front of the dragons. "Whoa! Hey, I remember you guys!"

"_Hand, why have you returned?" _Zekrom growled while Reshiram narrowed her blue eyes. _"We told you before to leave Unova and never come back-yet here you stand before us. Why?"_

"Actually, there's an excellent story about that involving a phone booth-"

"Whoa, wait a minute- you guys _know _each other?" Samus looked back and forth between Crazy and the Pokemon.

"_A long time ago, the Hands came here to extract the ore from Twist Mountain-the one that gave both Ghetsis and N temporary powers." _Reshiram dipped her swan-like neck at the crystal in the ground. _"We gave them our permission to take some-but only if they took a small amount and used it for only good intentions. Master Hand obeyed our instructions and only took what he needed-but we caught his brother trying to take some for himself."_

"Well, I wasn't going to use it to destroy the world or anything!" Crazy Had joked, his laugh fading out as they all glared at him. "Besides, Master Hand could have used it to make more Smash Balls!"

"Hmm...so the Smash Balls are made of this crystal-and that's what gives us our Final Smashes," Meta-Knight mused as he looked around and stiffened at the body of Red. "Is Red-"

Now the other smashers gasped as they too noticed Red's pale form half buried under the rocks. Snake deliberately looked away as he asked Zekrom "My friend- he was a great Pokemon trainer, and he wanted to be buried in Pallet Town. Is there a way you could-"

"_We will make sure he rests there,"_ Reshiram whispered softly, as she moved to touch Red with her white nose. Gently she pulled him from the rubble with her teeth, as a soft glow surrounded his body and healed the crushing injuries he had sustained. _"The crystal that we watch over is like ourselves: although it brings destruction, it also holds the power to heal."_

Seeing the hopefulness in Rosalina's eyes, Zekrom shook his head. _"Yet it cannot return what has already been lost. Although his spirit is lost to us, his body is once again whole."_

"Well," Crazy Hand sighed, "That's nice and all, but I'm going to be on my way."

Layton gave the hand an odd look "How? You already said you couldn't create a portal."

"Oh...well I kinda lied about that," Crazy snapped his fingers as a multicolored oval appeared in the air in front of him. "No worries though-you'll forgive me later. See you all later!" The hand flew through the portal, which closed with a pop of light and a small whoosh behind him.

"I'm going to kill that damn hand," Ike hissed as Snake tried not to curse. The others merely groaned in annoyance.

"_If it is a portal to another world you seek, we can happily create one for you,"_ Reshiram and Zekrom spoke in unison, turning to look at each other as their eyes slowly closed. With a sound like a soft breeze, a glowing blue portal appeared in between the two Pokemon.

N looked saddened as he gazed up at the dragons. "Can you not help us in our quest?"

"_Do not be worried, young one,"_ Reshiram seemed to smile as she gazed at the trainer. _"If you reach the great evil behind the spreading darkness, call on us and we will come to your aid. However, only call on us in your hour of greatest need-we can only leave Unova once."_

"_Your journey is nearly complete, heroes," _Zekrom thundered, as he looked each one of them in the eye. _"Although you have faced many challenges so far,there is still one test that stands before you. Tread with caution."_

"Well, that's comforting," Pit sighed as he walked up to the portal and turned to face his friends. "You guys coming or not?"

One by one the heroes filed through the portal, until only N, Snake, and Rosalina were left with Reshiram and Zekrom.

N bowed to the dragons. "Thank you, Great Ones."

"_No, thank you, N Harmonia-you have brought truth and ideals back to Unova, and have restored the balance of the land."_

N smiled at this then tipped his hat to Snake as he too vanished through the portal. Snake chucked, yet his face became serious as he held up Red's Pokeballs. "These Pokemon belonged to Red. He wanted them to be free-and I'm going to honor his wish." Gently he opened each Pokeball, watching as Charizard, Squirtle, and Venusaur popped out. The three looked confused to see Snake instead of Red, but their eyes widened as they noticed Reshiram and Zekrom.

"Squirtle squirt?" Squrtle looked at the body of Red questioningly, before turning his attention to the dragons.

"_No little one, Red isn't going to wake up. He has sacrificed himself for a friend, and wished that you would be free upon his death."_

The Pokemon stood there silently, as Charizard growled. "Char! Char char charizard!"

"_Is that truly what you wish?"_

"Squirt!"

"Saur!"

"Char!"

"_Then it is decided_._ Red's Pokemon will remain forever with their trainer."_

As Zekrom spoke, a pale blue light emanated from the crystal in the ground, surrounding Red's body and the Pokemon and sending them crashing together in a flash of blinding light. When it faded, Snake saw that the four were now made of the blue crystal, and lay peacefully beside each other. "They wanted to be turned to stone?"

"_The Pokemon could not bear to leave their trainer's side. Their love and devotion to Red was so great, they were willing to be with him forever-even if that meant having to give up their own lives."_

Snake stared at the new crystal figures, solemnly mumbling "Bye kid" as he turned and walked into the portal.

Rosalina moved to follow him, but stopped as Reshiram called out to her._ "May we speak with you before you go, lady of the stars?"_

"Of course," the princess replied as she walked back to the dragons. "I could tell you had something on your mind."

"_You have lost ones dear to you- a race of starlight creatures."_

"The lumas?" Rosalina could not hide the desperation in her voice. "What do you know of them?"

"_We have sensed them moving through the portals-portals that are unleashing darkness through the worlds. They have become carriers of this darkness, spreading it like seeds on the wind...and bringing hate and sorrow in their wake."_

"No, that cannot be right! The Lumas are an innocent race-"

"_-and it is the innocent whose hearts are easily corrupted,"_ Zekrom knelt to face her as his voice filled her mind. _"We can see that you will come to a crossroads soon, where you will have to choose between your destiny and the calling of your heart. There is no middle path: Fate does not make exceptions."_

"_Zekrom!"_ Reshiram gave her counterpart a look of warning. _"We accomplish nothing by telling her of a fate that still must play out." _She looked to the Rosalina, who trembled slightly. _"Sometimes destiny can be found amid the stars, my dear. Yet, sometimes it is the heart that holds your path. Use both to complete your journey, for only then will you be able to decide which path to take."_

"What of the Lumas-how can I return them to good?"

"_The answer will be found in time, along with all your answers. Do not fear-you are the Light in the quest, and you will find a way."_

After a moment, Rosalina bowed her head to the pair, and made her way to the portal, where she gave one last glance before stepping through and disappearing.

The cavern was silent for a split second before Zekrom rumbled _"Did you see it?"_

"_Yes, but I was afraid to tell her. The lady of the stars has immense power...but in the end that power will lead to the ultimate sacrifice..."_

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><p><strong>Sorry if the cryptic-ness frustrated you-I can't explain everything just yet! <strong>

**The Lumas have become a corrupted race-will they be able to return to good? What does the final world hold for our questing heroes? Will those somewhat-evil villains ever return from their journey? All this shall be answered in the two-part update to come! Make sure to put this one on story alert if you haven't already-you don't want to miss what's coming up!**

***Before I post this, I wish to give a shout out to all the fans who have been reading and enjoying my work. You guys are what keeps me writing everyday, so hats off to you!***


	13. A Shadowy Ally

**Hello friends and others!**

**I am so very very very very very sorry that this update is so late-it really makes me feel horrible thinking of the people who have been waiting for so long. Yet, schoolwork must come first before updates, and there's been a great pile of schoolwork thrust upon me these past weeks, and it probably won't let up until mid June. I expected to get this whole thing finished by late May/ early June, but with my schedule at the moment it may end later than that. **

**Anyways, I am once again sorry if you got all excited when you saw my announcement, but then saw no new chapter last Saturday- my apologies also to the one viewer from Finland, who seems to be checking a lot for an update. I have no idea who you are, Finnish viewer, but I appreciate your dedication! **

**Enough blabbity blab! I'll say more at the end-now, on to our chapter!**

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><p>Chapter 12: A Shadowy Ally<p>

It felt like Snake had been traveling for only a second when he was roughly catapulted into water, hitting the surface with a mighty splash and sinking below the waves in an instant. Quickly he resurfaced and took a gasping breath, his heart still racing as he saw the others swimming towards a small round landmass nearby.

The portal remained open however, and seconds later out tumbled Rosalina, who gave a cry of alarm as she disappeared from view under the waves. For a moment the spy felt a pang of worry, until she bobbed to the top, coughing the water from her lungs. Her eyes were wide with panic as she went under again, and Snake suddenly knew the reason for her distress: she had no idea how to swim.

Rosalina tried to fumble for her wand underwater, but her lungs' burning desire for air clouded her vision and consumed her energy. Never before had she been this deep in water, for in her homeland there had been nothing bigger or deeper than a small stream. The waves bore down on her, crushing her in their cold embrace and calling for her surrender with cold whispers.

Suddenly, she was jerked violently up by her waist and pulled to the surface, her blood singing in her ears as she gulped in huge lungfuls of air. Everything blurred as her breathing returned to normal, although she was still shaking from her near-death experience. The princess felt herself be dragged through the water until her feet touched land.

Samus raced over at that point, worry in her eyes as she approached. "What happened?"

"She's in shock," Snake's voice murmured from behind Rosalina. "Give her a minute to recover."

"No, I'm fine," Rosalina shook water out of her eyes, as her shaking subsided, although her heart still beat wildly. She turned to look at Snake, who she knew had come to her rescue. "You saved my life."

He grunted. "There's no way I'm letting you go that easily, princess."

"...Thank you, Snake."

He seemed surprised by these words, but Ike cut him off before he could reply. The mercenary was sopping wet, and looked incredibly unhappy as he asked "So, where are we?"

Snake looked around their surroundings in puzzlement. They appeared to be in the middle of a large lake, although the air around them was a deep amber color that made it nearly impossible to see. In the distance a faint outline of a bridge could be seen, along with the ridges of far-away mountains. Shadowy blobs floated around them, like shadows that had broken free of their masters.

"This place seems familiar," Falco mused as he glanced around and scratched his feathery head with a wing. "Are you sure this place is new?"

"_New or not, it looks to be invaded by darkness_," Lucario replied as he squinted at the bridge. "_Come to think of it, that bridge seems awfully familiar_..."

Toon Link noticed something at that minute, and blinked several times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. For unbeknownst to them all, the Triforce had appeared upon his small hands and glowed with a golden light...

"It seems we have some..._unusual_ visitors..."

An impish voice rang out from behind the group, causing them all to turn and draw their various weapons as the speaker approached, their eyes widened in shock as they took in the newcomer. The speaker was a tall young woman with skin so pale it seemed blue and long red hair that was braided in the middle of her chest. Upon her head was a golden headdress, which gleamed dully in the dark light. She wore a dark green robe that didn't cover much, leaving her right leg bare and exposing the black markings that encircled her curvaceous figure for all to see. Her eyes were a deep yellow while her pupils were the color of blood: a disturbing combination, but one that seemed to fit this exotic woman.

Seeing their stunned expressions, she gave a slightly cackling laugh. "What? Say something! Am I so beautiful that you have no words-" Before she could finish however, her eyes fell upon Toon Link and a look of shock passed over her face. "..._Link_?"

Toon Link shook his head. "Yeah, but I'm not _your_ Link. The Link you know...he doesn't say much, but Zelda's told me about you."

"Toony, who the heck is this?" Ike grumbled as he put away his sword.

The woman 'hmph'-ed smugly, and extended her arms in a mocking bow. "I am Midna, the ruler of the Twilight Realm. Welcome to Hyrule."

Nobody said anything for a moment, until Pit spoke slowly. "I imagined Hyrule to be...greener."

"Excuse me," Layton asked Midna, adjusting his hat as he spoke, "but I believe a great evil has affected your world-it appears to be covered in darkness."

Midna raised an eyebrow as she looked around. "Yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

"Yes, there's darkness, but no, it isn't covered in it." The princess gestured as the shadowy particles floating through the air. "Light and shadow can't mix, but they also cannot exist without the other. A few weeks ago, I sensed darkness spreading through Hyrule, and when I went to investigate I found everything covered in twilight."

"Wait." Samus held up a hand as something came to mind. "Zelda said that the Mirror of Twilight was destroyed. How did you-"

"-get to Hyrule?" With an impish smile, Midna cut the bounty hunter off. "I have my secrets. Anyways, apart from the twilight everything else seems to be normal. Now will someone please explain who exactly you guys are?"

Rosalina stepped forward quietly, a pale glow emanating from her skin amid the shadowy light. "We were sent by Master Hand to find new fighters and combat a growing darkness."

"Wait a sec-Master Hand? As in the giant glove?"

"That's him."

"Ha! Oh if Master Hand thinks he can win me over, he's certainly mistaken." Midna began to walk away in disgust, not wishing to continue the conversation any longer.

"You mean Master Hand talked to you before?" Even N now eyed the strange princess with confusion as she spun back around angrily.

"Yeah, he did! He wanted me to leave and go 'bond with fighters from other worlds'-the nerve of that guy! Doesn't he realize I just got my title as ruler of the Twilight Realm back? How would it look if I just up and left everything?"

"Sometimes," Rosalina commented softly, "you have to leave things behind in order to do what is right." For a moment she puzzled over the deeper meaning behind her words, but decided to mull it over later. Now was not the time to make up her mind.

After a moment, Minda sighed and shook her head in reluctance. "Fine, so Master Hand wants you to track down a hero from this world. You do realize Link's gone, right? He's the only hero we have."

"No," Toon Link said with a smile, "not according to Zelda. She says you helped to defeat Ganondorf and save Hyrule too, so that makes you a hero-the one we're looking for."

The shadowy princess stood there with her mouth slightly open in shock. "Wha-Me?"

Snake shrugged. "Makes sense."

Meta-Knight looked around in confusion. "If she's the hero, then where is the portal Master Hand was talking about?"

Looking around, the others realized he was right, for a portal was nowhere to be seen. Could it be that maybe they hadn't found their hero after all?

"Look," Luke commented, "Maybe we have to wait for the portal to appear like last time."

"You guys are looking for a portal?" Midna looked slightly surprised as their words sunk in. "I may be able to help you with that."

"You could return us to Master Hand's realm?"

"...Well, sort of," she replied. "I can only create portals inside of Hyrule, so I don't think I'd be able to make one to another universe. But I can get you to a place where we _can_ go to your world."

For a moment all was quiet, until Lucario responded "_Then let us be off!_"

"Okay then," the princess smirked as she raised her hands, which began to seep a shadowy cloud from her fingertips. "It's going to be a bumpy ride..."

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><p>Midna was not being sarcastic: the ride through her portal made Rosalina feel like she was being shaken up and down. Thankfully it was soon over, as she tumbled onto what felt like warm stone under her hands. Hissing as she skinned the palms of her hands, she took a moment to catch her breath from the tumultuous ride before lifting herself up and gazing around as the others came through the portal.<p>

It was nighttime in the area where they had landed, although the cool breeze of midnight was replaced with a warm, humid air. The group seemed to be in an open pavilion of sorts, although in the center lay a massive piece of pure black stone, half buried in a golden sand that covered the ground in places. A chill went through Rosalina as she gazed at the stone, before turning to look behind her and gaze at the vast desert far below. Wherever they were, the view was certainly breathtaking.

"Uurgh...that was bad," Luke, who had landed on his back, groaned at the sky and decided to wait until his head stopped spinning before moving. An equally sick groan came from Pit and N, who had become tangled together when they had landed. As they attempted to untangle themselves, Samus wobbly tried to walk but fell over instead on top of the pair, further complicating things. Ike let out a muffled cry of alarm-he had landed headfirst in a pile of sand, and wrenched his head out as he spat out the grainy dirt.

A group of shadowy particles fell from the portal in the sky and transformed into Midna, who gazed at the group in mild disgust. "You guys are ridiculous! It's just a little teleportation, and nothing to get worked up about."

"When my head stops spinning, can someone tell me where we are?" Falco groggily asked.

The princess of Twilight gave an undignified grunt of impatience. "This," she told the questers as she pointed at the large black stone, "is the Mirror of Twilight. It used to be the way to get from Hyrule to my realm...until I destroyed it."

"You destroyed it?" Ike rubbed the remaining sand out of his eyes, although he still squinted at Midna as he spoke. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Because I didn't want someone from my realm destroying this one!" Midna snapped.

"Midna, why is the sky normal here?" Rosalina asked as she gazed out at the desert, where far off in the distance she could see what appeared to be a golden diamond.

Following her gaze, Midna replied "I really don't know, but I think it's because the Mirror is so powerful, it repels Twilight. That diamond thing is Hyrule covered in Twilight-it's what Castle Town looked like before Link defeated Ganondorf."

"So, if the Mirror doesn't work, why are we here?" Snake, who seemed to be the only one besides Midna to have landed painlessly, questioned as he rose to his feet.

Midna was about the reply, when the sound of footsteps echoed through the space. Turning around, she raised an eyebrow as a strange group of figures emerged into the open, stopping quickly upon seeing the questers. The questers gasped aloud as they recognized the arrivals.

Nobody spoke for a moment, until Ganondorf finally remarked "Well...this is awkward. "

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, I know the Brawlers are supposed to be going to 'new' worlds, but when I was brainstorming characters with worlds the questers could visit, Midna was one of the first ones I though of. Sorry if she seems a little OOC, but it's been a while since I played TP. I did spend a lot of time watching cut scenes of the game though, so I kinda had a bit to go on.<strong>

**And the villains are back! We'll see who they managed to find next time, along with the continuation of the Hyrule arc. **

**Also, I'm going to begin putting a Page of Thanks together soon, which will feature the names of those who have helped/inspired/encouraged me and have reviewed this fic. So if you want to be featured, you have from now until the epilogue to review-although you're good to go if you've already reviewed. Anonymous reviews are perfectly fine by me, as long as we don't have any rudeness. If you just can't stand waiting between updates, either put me on Author Alert to keep up with all my fics and messages, or check out some of my favorite authors/fics to get that fix you need!**

**Until next time-keep up that awesomesauce attitude readers!**


	14. In the Right Place

**Ello everyone-it's update time! Sorry my updates have been sporadic-life is currently very hectic, and it's hard to find time to write for fun anymore. Thanks though to all my loyal readers who have been enjoying my tale so far-and welcome to all you new readers out there! Without you guys I'd be a very lonely author...**

**Right, I'll talk more at the bottom. Now, ON WITH THE TALE!**

***Nintendo owns all***

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><p>Chapter 13: In the Right Place<p>

"You!" Midna took a fighting stance as she glared furiously at Ganondorf. "You're supposed to be dead."

Ganondorf sighed and shrugged. "Well, you're supposed to be a naked little imp riding a wolf."

"Why you evil-"

Before she could rush forward and attack, Snake stepped between Midna and the dark lord, not looking happy at this reunion. "Ganondorf," he grumbled angrily, "how the hell did you get here?"

At that moment, the other Brawl villains spoke up from behind Ganondorf. "Well, we were just having a secret meeting-"

"It was Dedede's magic socks!"

"I used to be a villain, but then I took an arrow to the-"

"Shut up Wario!"

"We decided," Ganondorf shouted over his companions, "that you needed more than just heroes in your quest. So we brought a few...friends along with us."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Falco angrily asked.

"DAAAAAD!"

A strange sound-not quite a whine, but more of a needy call- rang out over the desert area as a small turtle-like creature dashed onto the scene. His red hair was whipping as he came to a stop, each heavy breath making the bandana on his scaly chest shudder. "Dad, that creepy white-haired dude is doing that thing with his tongue again!" The young Koopa complained as he tried to kick Bowser's enormous feet.

Bowser growled angrily and swatted a clawed hand at the child. "Bowser Jr., will you shut your mouth for five seconds? Daddy's in the middle of something here," He grumbled, as the kid wailed and ran from sight.

"Wait, that kid's yours?" Ike looked shocked. "You mean some crazy woman actually managed to have your ki-"

Samus elbowed him sharply in the ribs before he could finish as the Koopa king shot him a truly evil look, while Bowser Jr. reappeared again, this time being followed by two strange people. One was a tall, stick-thin man with short white hair, grayish skin, and an excessive amount of eye makeup that would put David Bowie to shame. The other was a pea-green creature with glasses and a red cape, who floated along on a little hover disc and had a Cheshire-Cat grin that was incredibly unnerving.

"You!" The caped figure floated up to Bowser in anger. "Large turtle! When will I spread Fawful's rage onto the salad of evil?"

"Yes, I'd like to know when we planned to leave," The white-haired man commented with a posh English tone, his voice as icy as the glare he shot Ganondorf.

"Who are you guys?" Samus asked as she too glared at Ganondorf. "Are they your friends?"

"Hardly," Bowser snorted. "The green guy's Fawful- he and his mistress Cackletta stole Princess Peach's voice one time, and he's responsible for taking over my kingdom and banishing Mario and Luigi to my...innards."

"No-you swallowed us up, you idiot turtle!" Luigi pounced forward, but then realized what exactly he was doing and quickly retreated behind Snake.

"And this charming individual," Ganondorf waved a gloved hand at the white-haired man, "is Ghirahim, the Demon Lord of Hyrule."

"You don't have to sound so glum about it," Ghirahim muttered sourly before he hissed and jumped away at the sight of Toon Link. "Wait! That boy-he's..."

Midna crossed her eyes and rolled her arms simultaneously. "Trust me, he's not the Link you're thinking of."

"Green Man-you said we would be pouring rage dressing on big baddie," Fawful muttered as he floated over to Ganondorf. "Why is annoying plumber here?"

"Yeah Dad," Bowser Jr. growled. "When do we get to kick some ass?"

Wolf gave a growl of impatience. "Look, we're going to need more than just us to fight this evil-so Master Hand sent these guys," he continued as he pointed at the questers, "to find others to help."

"Master Hand never said we couldn't bring villains of our own to help," Dedede added with a smile, "So we used my magic socks to travel to your worlds and get more villains."

"Magic socks?" Pit looked to Meta-Knight, who silently facepalmed.

"So...we weren't asked by Master Hand to save the world?" Ghirahim looked angrily at the villains as the truth came out. The villains shuffled their feet and wouldn't look the Demon Lord in the eye, causing him to sigh. "Fine, I get it-we're not heroes, and we're not wanted."

"We never said-" Wario was cut off as Fawful floated over and snatched Dedede's socks (which he has stuffed into the pockets of his robe) before throwing them to Ghirahim, who caught them and proceeded to put one on his hand.

"What are you doing?" Ganondorf and the other villains watched in shock as the Demon Lord made one sock disappear inside the other to some unknown world, before taking the other one and laying it on the ground.

"You are like a television without signal!" Fawful exclaimed angrily, although he himself didn't quite understand what he was saying.

"Sorry Dad, but I'm going with these guys. They seem cool," Bowser Jr. told his father solemnly.

"You just said a minute ago you thought they were creepy!"

"That was before you said I had to work with heroes."

Suddenly the three new villains lifted up into the air and magically shrunk as the vanished into the sock, which disappeared with a poof of sparkling dust.

Only the sound of gentle wind and the hiss of moving sand consumed the silence that followed. The villains stared at the spot where the sock had been, the questers stared at the villains, and Midna stared up at the sky and tried not to laugh.

"Well...that worked," Wario remarked as Ganondorf covered his face, Bowser grumbled some choice words about his son, and King Dedede waddled over to Meta Knight and Pit.

"You guys wouldn't happen to have any magic socks, would you? Or some way of getting home?" Dedede asked plaintively.

"No, we don't," Lucario answered as he too tried not to show his annoyance at this turn of events. "It appears as though you're with us now."

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><p>The villains, still upset by their latest failure, were incredibly quiet as the group sat around a campfire Bowser had created near the Mirror of Twilight. The flickering flames reflected off the broken shards of the Mirror, casting a shadowy glow over the makeshift tents that Samus had set up earlier (how she had managed to fit all this material into one backpack remained a mystery). There hadn't been much to eat, so the questers had replaced their gnawing hunger with telling the villains of their journey so far, although it was especially difficult to tell of Red's death. In fact, everything negative they had experienced seemed to have come crashing down upon them in that moment, making the whole atmosphere a bit melancholy.<p>

Rosalina, who had remained silent for most of the night, looked up from the fire to see the figure of Midna standing near the edge of the open space and seemingly gazing out at the desert. Without a word she rose and slowly walked to join her in staring out at the deserted landscape, the soft voices of the others fading out as the silence of the desert reigned.

Midna sighed gloomily. "I used to forget how peaceful Hyrule is without being covered in shadow. It's something I never really focused on when Link and I were on our quest."

"I can see why Link loved this land," Rosalina responded. "It's very quiet, and it makes me feel peaceful. He must be right at home here."

The Twilight Princess choked back a laugh. "Oh trust me, Link is probably the only one here that doesn't have something to say. Sure, he'll shout from time to time, but I've never heard him say a single word. I guess he's just waiting for the right time to speak."

Puzzled, Rosalina asked, "How do you know what he's feeling then, if you can't tell through his words?"

Midna seemed to pause and think before answering "His eyes. They betray his true feelings every time, even when he believes no one else knows what he's thinking. They're the most vivid of blues, like the shining Lake Hylia in the springtime sun, and every time I heard his name it's his eyes I think of first."

"Really? You sound as if you knew him quite well."

"We were very good friends, although we didn't start out that way at first. Over time, Link and I had to learn to work together in order to restore peace to Hyrule, and in that time we became close..." For a moment, memories overcame her words until she finished "He was a good friend-and a great hero."

A lightning bolt of understanding shot through Rosalina as she stared at Midna's sorrow-filled yellow eyes. "You loved him."

Shock passed over her pale gray face, before Midna sighed and the star princess smiled. "Yeah okay, I grew to love Link. He was kind, handsome and brave...but I guess Fate didn't want us to be together. It was difficult enough for two people from different worlds to work together, but adding love into the picture would have made things even harder."

With a growing sadness, Rosalina realized that what Midna was describing was nearly exactly similar to her own situation. Taking a breath, she asked a question that had been growing in the back of her mind. "If things had been different, would you have told him how you felt?"

"In a heartbeat," Midna answered with a whisper, before looking with a smile at Rosalina. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"You must be attracted to someone out there...perhaps the man who rescued you from the lake?" Although Rosalina said nothing, a faint blush rose on her cheeks and made midna giggle impishly. "I was right! So you do like him..."

"I...I do," Rosalina confessed. "Yet I face the same problem you do: we are both from different worlds and trying to stop a great evil. I promised my Lumas that I would return to them, and it would be unfair to leave them for another, or to tell Snake and then leave him. Either way I would hurt someone."

"Lumas? Wait, you mean the tubby little star things that float around and make this really annoying laugh?"

"You've seen them?" Rosalina nearly jumped for joy as she eagerly looked at the princess of twilight. "Are they okay?"

"Yeah, a group of about three or four of them passed through the Twilight Realm a few days ago. They looked okay to me, although they didn't stay for very long- some dark shadowy dude came and they followed him through a portal. I didn't think anything of it until after they left, when Hyrule became covered in twilight."

"Dark man? Who could that be?"

"No idea, but I have a feeling he's involved in everything that's going on in both Hyrule and the other worlds." Looking back up at the sky, Midna stretched her cramping arms tiredly. "I think I'm going to sleep. Try not to stay up too late."

Rosalina gave a small laugh in reply as Midna left her company, then slowly sank down with her back pressed into one of the stone pillars. The night breeze carried the warmth of the sands in their tendrils, and although it brushed against her in comfort her mind spun with worry and doubt. All her experiences- her crash landing, traveling to new worlds, Red's death, her growing affections for Snake-crashed down upon her shoulders in a single instant, leaving her feeling incredibly tired. Already she had seen so much more than she ever believed she would see-would it all be over soon? More importantly, would she be able to find what made her truly happy after everything?

"Penny for your thoughts, princess."

She felt her mind go blank as she stared up into the deep blue eyes of Snake, whose mouth twitched with the ghost of a smile. "Oh, I was just thinking about our quest," She answered as he sat down beside her, with the heat from his body making her heart beat a bit faster.

"Yeah...feels like we left just yesterday," Snake mused as he gazed up at the stars. "It makes me wonder what will happen after we gather the heroes we need. Master Hand will probably send us off to fight the 'great evil' he mentioned."

Without thinking, Rosalina leaned her head against the spy's shoulder as her exhaustion began to get the best of her. "I'm worried we may not be able to stop it," she whispered softly.

Snake had frozen slightly as she had leaned against him, but he let himself relax as he responded, "As long as we work together, we can stop any evil-even one that threatens everything we know."

"How can you be so confident," she questioned with a yawn, "When everything seems to be in danger?"

"It's because I know that when things are at their worst, the people you trust will have your back when you need it most. When the day comes when we have to fight, I'll make sure no one is fighting alone without someone at their side." Snake paused as he realized that Rosalina had fallen asleep with her head still resting on his shoulder. Something about her peaceful expression made Snake's heart skip a beat, and he felt a small smile ease onto his face. He had never realized how vulnerable she looked until now, when her peaceful face hid her true emotions in a mask of sleep.

Yet, a small voice called out to him in the darkness, telling him that this couldn't last. One day she would have to return to her home amid the cosmos, and he would be left behind on the ground. He couldn't tell her how he truly felt-hell, he'd never been good with feelings anyway-for to tell her would only lead to her getting hurt, and that was one thing he didn't want to do.

Yet, something about her had made him become soft and had melted his icy exterior, and that was something he just couldn't let get away.

Slowly Snake felt his eyes begin to close as sleep began to overtake him. As he listened to the sound of the princess' breathing, he relaxed a bit more and let his tiredness win over his mind. Even if he had a choice, it wouldn't have mattered, because tonight he was exactly where he wanted to be.

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><p><strong>As you can tell, fluff is not my specialty, but I have to work with it one way or another. Link and Midna were awesome in <em>TP<em>, and I always suspected Midna had a thing for our hero in green. **

**I'm probably going to get a lot of crud about the villain's quest leading to nothing, but honestly I needed a bit of comedy to lighten things villains, although evil, seem to be a bit clueless about certain things, which (although terribly OOC) makes them fun to work with. They'll play a bigger part in the chapter to come-which I expect to release around the end of the month if all goes smoothly.**

**Until then, check out my other works, and hit the review button for _SOD _on your way out. Reviews are my currency, so PAY ME PLEASE! **


	15. Escape

**Ello!**

**Author's note at the end this time! Enjoy this chapter- I had a lot of fun writing it!**

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><p>Chapter 14: Escape<p>

If there was one thing most people never learned about Hyrule, it was that the land always had the most beautiful sunrise. The stars would still speckle the sky when the first blushes of pink and violet crept across the world's edges, eating away at the night's blackness. Orange swirls and gentle peach streaks would silently dance across the world, staining the clouds that stood in their way. Everything in nature seemed to hold its breath as yellows and reds signaled the impending arrival of the sun, draping its path like a carpet fit for a king.

Then, ever so slowly, the sun would peek out and send its dazzling light into a kaleidoscope of rays and beams that dominated the scene. Unfurling its fiery arms, it would stretch upwards, as if hugging the sky that had paused above this magnificent orb. The desert itself seemed to glow like the fires of a heavenly forge, with each grain of sand seemingly imprinted with the brilliance of morning. It was a remarkable sight, and if one listened, they could hear a familiar tune on the breeze, one that seemed to welcome the changing of night into day.

It was this change that caused Rosalina's mind to rise from amidst an ocean of sleep, as her senses returned and her thoughts became a bit less muddled. Where was she? She struggled to recall as the morning sun illuminated her face and stung her eyes. There had been Midna...the villains...the Mirror of Twilight...

That was when she saw the most magnificent sunrise in her entire life.

It seemed to carry the very essence of hope in its rays, bathing her and greeting her to this glorious new day ahead. Although it could not compare to the beauty of space, it came quite close to doing so-in fact, the longer she stared, the longer she realized that this might be her new favorite part of being on the ground.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Without a single thought, she replied, "Yes-I've never seen anything quite like it." Then she realized who had spoken as memories of the day before filtered through her mind. With a look of shock, she flipped her head up from where she had been leaning against Snake's shoulder to stare at him. "Wait-were you here all night?"

The spy had his eyes half closed to shield him from the bright light, but the look of amusement that flitted through them was hard to miss. "You fell asleep on me-I didn't have much of a choice." Seeing her slightly angered look, he smirked and added, "Besides, you seemed so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you."

Before she could reply, Toon Link walked over with a yawn and ruined the entire mood. "Hey guys," he groaned sleepily as he scratched his head. "Wow...it's really bright."

"So much for enjoying a quiet morning," Snake muttered under his breath as he rose and helped Rosalina to her feet, feeling his aching muscles crack under the sudden movement.

Rosalina wished that she could continue her conversation with the spy, but the words she was going to say melted away as she spotted something amid the sands. Cupping a hand to shield her eyes, the princess squinted out at the desert. "What _is_ that?" She wondered aloud.

"What's what?" Midna had apparently woken up and had ventured over to see what had caught Rosalina's gaze.

"There's something moving out there in the desert...but I can't make out what it is," Rosalina murmured in reply, as the other questers began to wake up and see what was going on.

There was a gentle prodding of something into the princess' side, and she looked down to see Toon Link holding out a small telescope towards here. "Here-this might help."

"Wait, where did you get a telescope?" Samus asked the small Hyrulian boy.

He rolled his eyes. "I sailed on a boat and my best friends were pirates. A guy like me needs a telescope."

"Thank you Toony," Rosalina told the boy as she held the telescope up to her uncovered eye, frowning slightly as she stared into it.

"...Well?" Falco waited impatiently as she remained silent. "What do you see?"

The princess stared into it a moment longer, then lowered it with a puzzled expression. "Nothing," she answered. "I could have sworn I saw something out there..."

"Maybe it was a mirage?" N remarked.

"I'm afraid not- the Gerudo Desert isn't hot enough to cause mirages," Ganondorf countered.

"How would you know?"

"...I'm a Gerudo?"

"Aren't those all females?" Ike asked as Pit tried not to laugh.

"Yes, but I'm special because I'm the only male."

"So that makes you a-"

"Don't even finish that sentence if you value your life."

"Rosalina, may I see the telescope?" Professor Layton moved to stand beside her as she handed the telescope over without a word. The Englishman peeked into it and pointed it at the landscape. "I don't see anything on the ground," he said thoughtfully, "but what about the sky?" Slowly he tilted it upwards until he paused, blinked in surprise, and looked again. "My word..."

"What is it?"

Layton handed Rosalina back the telescope. "I have no idea," he replied with a note of urgency in his voice, "but it doesn't look like a good thing."

Whatever Layton had seen was soon visible to all, as it drew closer to the Mirror of Twilight. It first appeared to be a large black cloud that moved erratically through the air-until it suddenly vanished with a hiss.

For a moment no one spoke. Luigi however, gave out a nervous laugh. "Well that was we-"

SHZAP!

A dozen creatures materialized around the Mirror, each letting out an ear-splitting howl as they threw back their heads. They were around eight feet long and wolf-like in appearance; except their bodies were covered in thick black scales and their tails were long and spiked. Even their paws had been replaced by claws the size of a grown man's arms. The wolf remained in their blood-red eyes however, with which they looked at the questers as if sizing up which part of them to eat first. They were terrifying to see, and each quester felt their blood run cold at the sight.

Forming a wedge, the beasts growled menacingly, snapping their jaws and scraping their claws on the stone with a sound like nails on a blackboard. The quester stood their ground, each giving the beasts an equally hateful glare as they looked to each other with confidence. They had come too far to be defeated now-they had grown into a team, a team that wouldn't back down in the face of darkness.

So as the sun shone down upon them, it caused them to glow with a golden light as they leaped to meet the snarling jaws and flashing claws-a proper battle for the forces of light against the darkness.

* * *

><p>Master Hand was not one to panic under pressure.<p>

Sure, he had been through some tense situations before (in fact, he still got a dull ache in his back whenever he thought about his time serving as Tabuu's prisoner), but he had known he would be fine. There was always light to banish the darkness, and that light always arrived precisely when needed.

Even since he had seen Red's figure disappear from the painting however, a sense of worry had slowly wormed its way into his (metaphorical) stomach. Maybe the darkness the brawlers faced was worse than he believed it to be-maybe they weren't as prepared as he had said they were. Had he condemned them to die out there, lost in an unfamiliar world surrounded by evil? The intelligent part of him told him not to worry...but everything else pointed to the worse outcome.

"What," he murmured to himself as he floated at his office desk, "have I done?"

"ELLO BRO!"

A giant bang made Master Hand look up, as Crazy Hand flew through a portal and hit the opposite wall, knocking various objects to the floor. The smaller Hand lay limply on the ground or a moment before rising and shaking himself off with a gleeful chuckle. "Whew...that was fun."

"C-c-CRAZY?" Master Hand stared at his brother, who seemed unaware of the shock he had caused. "You're back!"

"I am indeed! But not in black though-they didn't have anything in my size. Besides, I was only gone for a few months."

"You were gone for a whole year."

"That's what I said!" Something suddenly crossed Crazy's mind, and he let out a gasp. "Oh, I almost forgot-you'll never guess who I saw! No, don't guess, I'll tell you: I saw your Brawler peoples! Well, the grumbly one was all moody at me, and one of them got squished, and then they all met those grumpy dragons-"

"Crazy, slow down!" Master Hand held up a finger to silence his brother's rant. "You _saw_ the questers? Where were they?"

"Oh, the Unova region-at least they were. I kind of left and went off on my own after the grumpy dragons showed up-did you know that there's a whole world made of yarn? They make the tastiest socks."

"Well, where are they now?"

Crazy thought for a moment. "I dunno-but I can find them!"

"How can you find them if you don't even know where they are?"

"That's my little secret," Crazy said slyly with a giggle as he created another portal and gave a mock salute to Master Hand. "Don't panic-if they're in danger, I'll just pull 'em all out and bring them here!" Without any sort of goodbye, he disappeared through the portal as it closed behind him, leaving Master Hand alone in his office again.

"This," Master Hand told himself, "looks very bad."

* * *

><p>Although the beasts were outnumbered, they each fought with the strength of twenty demons against the fighters. Their claws moved with lightning efficiency, slashing and scraping any piece of skin in sight.<p>

Snake threw another grenade at one of the beasts, watching as the explosion didn't seem to do any damage. Dodging the snapping jaws, he backed up against Rosalina, who was flinging beams of light around like a madwoman. "You hanging in there?"

"I'm doing my best-watch behind you!"

A snarling beast leaped at Snake, but the spy connected his fist with its jaw and sent it flying backwards. "Thanks-these things seem to be impossible to kill!"

"Tell me about it!" Midna spoke up from where she and Samus were fighting two of the beasts. "At this rate, we're going to tire out before they even get a scratch!"

"Oh hell no!" Ike swung Ragnell and cursed as it bounced off the beast's hide. "This is ridiculous! We have to win!"

N watched as the beasts brought down his Serperior, and quickly recalled the Royal Pokémon before it could be seriously hurt. "My Pokémon aren't working against these beasts!"

Rosalina looked around at the chaos that surrounded her, watching everything go as if in slow motion. The snarls and voices of the others seemed to fade out as she saw her friends being overcome by the dark creatures. Were these once the same Lumas that she had cared for not long ago? If that was the case, shouldn't a bit of light remain under the dark exterior? She reached out with her mind to focus on one of the beasts, letting her mind brush up against the creature's thoughts as a series of images flashed through her head...

_A dark figure suspended in a purple haze, his anger radiating off him in waves. He let out a roar of fury-he would not be defeated again..._

_Space, cold and empty, but the figure flew through it with his violet wings, his eyes fixed on the floating observatory ahead of him. With a chuckle, he unleashed a fireball from his palms, watching as it drew closer and closer..._

_Dozens upon dozens of star-like creatures floated in a place of blue and purple crystals, covering as a cloud of darkness surrounded them, drowning out the light as their shrill cries turned to screeches and snarls..._

_Horribly disfigured beasts, standing in rows as their eyes burned with anger and bloodlust, any trace of innocence and happiness wiped away. They watched as some of their brethren departed through a portal amid the crystal spires, as their master smiled coldly..._

_The creatures hiding in fear as their master screamed in rage after learning of their brethren's failures. He was tired of failure- tired of sitting back as those around him failed at the simplest commands. It was his time to act now._

_He was coming._

_There was no escape._

She returned to her own head with a gasp, her mind still reeling from the hatred and fury she had felt in the strange being. Whoever it was had been the cause of not only the spreading darkness, but also the destruction of her beloved Observatory-and now he was coming to deal with the Brawlers once and for all.

Samus saw Rosalina standing like a statue, her eyes wide and unfocused as the battle raged around her. "Hey!" She called to the princess as she ran over and shook her shoulders in a panic. "Did one of those things hurt you?"

"Samus, we have to go," Rosalina spoke softly with a quiver of fear in her voice.

The bounty hunter frowned-she hadn't seen Rosalina this worried since the first day at the mansion, when she had landed on the front lawn. "How? There's no portal!"

"Samus, look out!"

Both women spun around as one of the beasts launched itself through the air at the pair, its claws extended for ripping and tearing into their soft flesh...

"I DON'T THINK SO!"

A giant white hand barreled out of a portal and knocked the beast to the ground, then picked it up with its fingers and tossed the howling mass over the tower's edge. "That's more like it!" The hand remarked in a familiar accent as it cracked its knuckles.

"Crazy?" Ike looked furious to see the wacky hand again. "Where were you?"

"Well, I was chilling with this band for a while-they had the most amazing blue pajamas you know. But then I told Master Hand I'd find you guys...so here I am!" One of the beasts latched onto Crazy's pinky finger as he spoke, making him pause in order to fling it off. "Ugh, these are annoying little buggers aren't they?"

"Then help us fight them!" Luigi yelled from where he and Lucario were battling three beasts.

"Okie-dokie! Let's open up the biggest can of Shaq-Fu the world has ever seen!"

With the addition of Crazy Hand, the tide began to turn in the favor of the Brawlers, as more and more of the beasts succumbed to the fighter's perseverance and strength. Soon the last of the beasts was skewered like a kebab by Meta-Knight, who fist-bumped Pit as the angel landed beside him.

"We did it!" Luke and Toony jumped up and down in excitement, as N stared at one of the beast's corpses.

Layton, who had fought by his side, followed his friend's gaze with his own eyes. "Is something troubling you, Master N?"

"Reshiram and Zekrom told me to call on them when we had found the source of the spreading darkness. Something's telling me that this is over-"

Suddenly a deep rumbling filled the air, as if the sun was quaking in fear. The group looked around uneasily as Snake told Crazy "Make a portal back to the Mansion-I've got a bad feeling about this."

"We're too late," Rosalina spoke up as the rumbling stopped for a second, allowing her words to be clearly heard by all.

"He's found us."

The sky erupted with a ripping noise as a thick black cloud descended over the horizon and the ground began rumbling under their feet. The sudden motion caused the questers to fall over, which allowed them to see that the cloud in the distance was approaching swiftly and would be upon them in less than a minute. Wind whipped around them violently, and for a moment, it was easy to imagine this was the end of the world.

"_Crazy, get the portal ready NOW_!" Lucario's voice tore through the group's heads.

"Hang on!" Crazy pointed at the Mirror of Twilight as a faint wisp of white smoke encircled the round lens, restoring the glass and once again making the Mirror whole. Golden beams of light shot out from the glass and reflected onto the black stone, which soon became multiple rings of spiraling glowing symbols that appeared to extend outward into a tunnel. "Got it-let's go!"

The questers leaped into action as Falco and Luigi helped to guide people up to the platform of light that jutted out in front of the Mirror, where they were swept up into the portal. Rosalina was about to go as well, but froze as Midna grabbed her arm. "Rosalina, the darkness that's coming...it could get into your world through the portal."

"I know-but what choice do we have?"

An impish smile formed on Midna's face as she let go of Rosalina's arm. "Go-I'll hold off the darkness long enough for the portal to close."

"Midna, we can't leave you behind! We need you!"

"You need me to fight the darkness!" Midna yelled as the dark cloud rolled ever closer. "So I'm going to do just that!"

"But-"

"GO!"

Rosalina knew it was use trying to reason with the princess of twilight-she had already made up her mind, and there was no changing it. She stepped back slowly, and was about to walk into the portal's light when she heard "Rosalina!"

Midna locked eyes with the pale woman for a moment before she yelled "Tell Link...tell him I said 'hi'."

"I will." An understanding smile coasted over Rosalina's face as she stepped into the portal, watching for as long as she could as the dark cloud bored down upon the solitary figure of Midna. Then she too, like the others, dissolved into to portal and out of the dark world, far away from the horrific bellow that filled the fading air.

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><p><strong>This is one of the longest chapters I've ever written for SOD (just over 3,000 words!), so it's a great accomplishment for me. I will say, however, that the next three chapters are going to be very long, especially because I planned on making this chapter even longer. <strong>

**You guys also got a glimpse of our main villain! You may be able to figure out who it is-first person to do so will get a cookie!**

**I'm thinking about creating a special cover for this story, but I can't draw. :( That may have to wait...**

**One last thing: PLEASE REVIEW AND GIVE ME COMMENTS/CRITIQUES! I've gotten no reviews for the past few chapters, and it's making me think something's very wrong with my writing style (that, or you all must hate me :/). Reviews help me to see what I need to work on, and the positive aspects of my story. So please, take just a moment to click that giant 'REVIEW' button and help me out-your input fuels my output!**

**Until next time!**


	16. Evil Unmasked

***Nintendo owns everything***

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><p>Chapter 15: Evil Unmasked<p>

If the previous journeys through the portals were like storms, then this one was comparable to a demonic hurricane. Snake felt himself tumbling in all directions into darkness, as thousands of sharp claws grabbed at every part of him. He lost the knowledge of which way was up or down after a moment, and he soon wondered if he would free fall into the ground with a sickening splat.

Finally, however the darkness was wrenched away as Snake flew through the air and landed on the grass on the other side of the portal. With his head still spinning in dizzying circles, he allowed his heart to slow from its rapid beating as he lay there feeling sunlight on his back and a fresh breeze of fresh air. Slowly he opened his tired eyes as he rolled over and sat up to see what exactly was going on, but he was taken aback to see a familiar location before him.

He and the others had been dumped in front of the Brawl Mansion, which seemed like a welcoming beacon to the questers who called it home. All the other Brawlers had apparently seen their arrival and were now racing toward them, with Mario and Master Hand at the front of the crowd. The giant hand floated over to Crazy, who lay on his back with all fingers up in the air. "Crazy! What happened?" Master Hand asked to his brother.

"I took an arrow to the knee-"

"You don't have knees!"

"This is the end, bro! Tell Gladys I love her- oh I see the light!"

"That's the sun."

"Goodbye cruel world!" Crazy went limp, and then giggled as he rose into the air. "Gotcha! Oh you should have seen your faces!"

Mario ran to his brother Luigi's side and embraced him. "Luigi, you're ok! What happened- did you find the fighters?"

As everyone looked at the questers with hopeful anticipation, Toon Link noticed something was wrong. "Hey, wait a minute...where's Midna?"

"Midna?" Zelda gaped at the name of her friend. "You mean she was with you? Well, where is she now?"

"Midna stayed behind to save us."

All heads turned to the trembling voice of Rosalina, who rose shakily to her feet. "The darkness had invaded Hyrule, and was going to follow us through the portal that Crazy created. Midna told me to go without her so she could delay the darkness long enough for the portal to close." Turning her attention to a wide-eyed Link, she added softly "She also says 'hi'."

This time Link wasn't the only speechless one, as the Brawlers glanced to the spot where to portal had been a few seconds before. The princess of twilight had been a valiant fighter and companion, and had proven beyond a doubt of being a worthy Brawler in both spirit and action. Snake watched Rosalina and realized that her eyes lacked the brilliance they usually possessed. Clearly, the loss of Midna had shaken her deeply, perhaps even reducing her to the same state as the girl who had landed on the front lawn a few days ago-a woman whose thoughts were only of her home and family. Once again she appeared to be the fragile and vulnerable woman he had met on that day, and at that moment all he wanted to do was comfort her and tell her that things were going to turn out okay...except he didn't know if things would truly turn out okay.

A small, innocent voice broke the solemn mood. "Poyo?"

Master Hand turned to the pink puffball and sighed. "Our only option now, Kirby, is to confront the evil behind all of these recent events...although I'm unsure how that will be possi-" Unexpectedly, the hand trailed off as he spotted a portal a few feet in front of him. "Crazy, did you...?"

Crazy shook his body. "Nope-wasn't me!"

"Then who..."

_Whazoosh!_

A colossal wave of pure energy erupted from the mysterious portal, knocking everyone to their knees and sending the hands to the ground in one fell swoop. The energy washed over the lawn, bringing with it a bone-chilling sensation that something was terribly wrong. As some of the fighters clambered back to their feet, a sour laugh followed the wave along with a beam of blue light. This time the light caused everyone to freeze in their tracks, unable to move even their eyes as something-no, someone, stepped through to their world.

The figure was humanoid in appearance and a crystal blue color, yet possessed no distinct features on its body. The thing was slightly transparent, allowing its multicolored wings to be seen for a moment before they dissolved away. An outline of a smile engulfed his face, although this smile radiated pure evil. "Now this is a sight to see," the figure spoke in a cold, menacing voice. "All the Brawlers are at my mercy once again."

"Tabuu," Master Hand snarled from his spot on the ground, somehow able to speak even though his body remained frozen. "I should have known you were behind all of this!"

"Hello Hand," Tabuu answered dryly as he floated over to the Brawler's leader. "It's been awhile since I've seen you, yet you still appear to be the same weak, pathetic glove you were before. "

"You're supposed to be destroyed-we destroyed you-"

"You mean the _Brawlers _defeated me-you had nothing to do with their lucky success. Don't you recall how you were under my control, how you were my little puppet? Maybe now is a good time for a reminder..." Tabuu raised his right hand and clenched his fist, as Master Hand writhed in pain and roared in pure agony. The Brawlers could do nothing but watch as the Subspace god turned the hand from a brave leader to a quivering mass.

Finally, Tabuu unclenched his fist and let Master Hand collapse and shake for a moment. "You buried those feeling of fear, Master Hand, but I can still draw them to the surface quite easily. I know you believe yourself to be a strong and intelligent leader, but you're nothing more than a pitiful fool."

"Yet...my Brawlers...still managed to stop your creatures from... spreading darkness."

"No, they did not-they only delayed the inevitable for a short time. Even as I speak, my plot is unfolding and darkness is spreading to ever wo-"

"HEY!" Crazy's angry bark made the god freeze and turn to the smaller hand. "Quit talking already-if you're going to destroy us, then destroy us!"

An arrogant smirk crossed Tabuu's face. "With pleasure." He raised his hand and flexed his fingers, ready to unleash a devastating attack upon both Hands.

"Stop."

A clear, cold voice rang out, and caused Tabuu to turn and stare at Rosalina, who stood with her wand clenched firmly in her hand and her eyes devoid of fear. The two stared at each other before Tabuu hissed "_You..._I forgot the extent of your powers."

"Leave her alone-she has no part in this!" Master Hand tried to move, but found himself frozen once more as Tabuu stalked over to Rosalina, who stood completely still as he glared at her.

"That is where you are sadly mistaken, Master Hand," Tabuu answered, before continuing to Rosalina. "Your power is admirable, but we both know that it has its limits, don't we? For example, you cannot protect your home and the creatures you love from darkness, no matter how hard you fight."

Snake glared angrily at the god, wishing he could break free of the invisible binds and punch the blue man in the face.

"What is your quarrel with me?" Rosalina asked simply.

"Ah my dear, don't' you see?" He chuckled darkly in reply. "You are what I've been trying to get at all along...you will be the one who will destroy the worlds."

"_NO!"_

Both Master Hand and Rosalina cried out simultaneously as Tabuu grabbed the princess in an iron grip before smirking at the frozen crowd. "You all have given me the final piece in my grand puzzle, so I must thank you for that. However, don't assume you have a chance at stopping me- unless you wish for me to destroy the girl and plunge all worlds into darkness." He lazily unfurled his shimmering wings behind him while he stepped in front of the portal. "Enjoy the precious minutes you have left, and be grateful I left you alive-for now." With a cackle, he stepped through the portal with Rosalina and disappeared, as the portal shut behind him with a thunderclap that released the Brawlers from their frozen state.

Snake raced to the spot where the portal had once been, as if he was trying to jump through after the dark god. Whirling around, he called out to a stunned Master Hand. "Hurry- make a portal to where he went."

"Snake-"

"We don't have much time!"

"I can't make a portal to where Tabuu is, no matter how hard I try. He is somewhere where his power is greater than mine is, and he has sealed himself off. There's nothing we can do."

"So that's it? We're just going to lie down and accept defeat?" Snake's voice rose in anger as he spoke, while Master Hand remained silent. "Everything that's happened to us-all our suffering, all our sacrifice- has been for nothing? If that was the case, then you shouldn't have sent us on that damn quest in the first place!"

"So now you're going to blame me? After everything I've done for all of you?" The Hand's voice had a dangerous edge to his words.

"Then whose fault is it, Master Hand? Who's the one who suggested that we go obtain more fighters? Who's the one who sent Red and Rosalina to their deaths?"

"I had nothing to do with that-"

"You had _everything _to do with that-they're not here right now because of _you!_" Snake's anger erupted into a roar as he pointed at Master Hand. "You promised you would protect her, and instead you let her fall right into Tabuu's hands-you condemned her to death the moment you spoke of the portal! If you had let her stay here where she was safe, none of this would be happening-"

"How DARE you accuse me of something she chose on her own free will to participate in! Her goal all along has been to return to her Observatory, not to stay here and hide-"

"She's fought to help us, and now you want to abandon her when she needs us?"

"_Enough!"_

The Master Sword hurtled through the air and landed between Master Hand and Snake with a solid thud, its blade still vibrating from the force of the impact. The two paused to look at Link, who moved forward and pulled his sword from the ground. "Enough," he repeated softly as his face became masked with sadness. "Arguing is not going to solve anything, and it definitely won't help us stop Tabuu."

Link took a moment to turn and glance at everyone around him before he continued. "It is no one's fault-we have done everything we can to delay the coming of darkness, but now the darkness is here. I understand it seems hopeless, but we _cannot_ turn on each other now...not when so much is at stake. We all need to decide what to do-I propose we head to the dining room and think up our plan there, where our minds won't be clouded by our emotions."

There was silence once again as everyone looked to Master Hand for an answer. "Brother?" Crazy patted his brother's back with his pinkie. Master Hand seemed to nod in defeat, and allowed himself to be led by Crazy back towards the Mansion, while the other Brawlers solemnly turned and followed without a word.

Samus, Lucario, Ike, and Link stayed behind however to watch Snake, who had turned to stare at the lake in silence. "I've never seen him like this before," Ike murmured in shock.

"_Yes, it's heart-wrenching to watch," _Lucario agreed somberly. "_It's as if his very soul has been ripped in two."_

Samus nudged Link's shoulder. "Do you think we should bring him inside?"

"No, I think it's best if we leave him be-he's in a great deal of pain right now. He'll join with us when he's ready to."

"You know, you should talk more often-you have a knack for calming things down."

The Hero of Time smiled in amusement. "Perhaps I should. Come on-I think Snake needs some time by himself." With one last glance at the spy, the group turned and walked back to the Mansion.

Snake stood and stared for a moment longer in silence, listening to the faint lap of the waves on the sandy shore. Suddenly, he pulled out one of his grenades, pulled the pin, and threw it as hard as he could with an angry roar. It sailed through the sky amidst the gathering clouds, but exploded with a bang before it even touched the water. For a moment, Snake paused, and then he simply pulled out another grenade and chucked it too. He continued to throw the explosives as the heavens opened above him and rain poured down, until he ran out of grenades, at which point he collapsed to his knees onto the muddy ground. There he sat as the rain washed over him while he gazed off into the distance, his mind a tumbling mess of emotions and thoughts that threatened to spill over at any moment.

Someone lifted an umbrella over his head, shielding him from the rain and allowing him to be dry for a moment. Snake stared up at it, and then looked to Kirby, who clutched the umbrella in his pint fist. "Poyo," the puffball muttered to the spy as he gestured with his free hand towards the Mansion. The meaning behind the single word was clear. Nodding, Snake got to his feet and took the umbrella for Kirby's offered hand, moving it so that both were protected from the cold droplets. Together the pair shambled back to the Mansion, as the curtain of rain continued to fall in a never-ending stream of grief for the coming end of the world.

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><p><strong>This was one of the hardest chapters to type up (I actually wrote this during my finals this week, so about 75% of what you read is directly from my paper copy), but hopefully you guys enjoyed it. <strong>

**Also, a major thanks to my buddy _Tune4Toons_, who helped me iron out some small fixes in this chapter!**

**Since I'm officially now on break (yay), I expect to wrap this whole thing up within a month or two, seeing I have about 3/4 chapters left. I've written about 30% of the next chapter, so you might see an update by the end of the month if you're lucky. Until then, check out my other lovely works, and enjoy the summer (or winter, depending on where you live)!**


	17. A Decision

**Two more chapters to go...hope you guys enjoy this one!**

***Nintendo owns everything***

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><p>Chapter 16: A Decision<p>

The rain that drummed on the dining room windows did nothing to alleviate the tension that reigned over the occupants of the dining room table. The crystal chandelier suspended above their head seemed like an ornate jellyfish floating in a sea of uncertainty, as the Brawlers did their best to push the recent events from their heads. Even Master and Crazy Hand had an air of defeat about them, as they both floated at the head of the table in silence. Some gazed at the empty chairs with sadness, as if wondering what the missing members would do in this type of situation. Unfortunately, the answer seemed to evade them at this crucial moment.

A flash of lightning crackled in the outside air, followed by a boom of thunder as Captain Falcon spoke. "So, what's our plan?"

"What plan?" Sonic argued in a dead voice. "We're done, remember?"

"Who says we're done? We still have a chance!"

"No we don't," Ness murmured as he removed his hat with shaking hands, tears forming in his eyes as he threw back his head and wailed "We're all going to die!"

"Please, everyone! Settle down!" Master Hand's words managed to bring back the tense silence to the table.

"Master Hand, you said so yourself-this is it!" Toon Link told the hand grimly. "We can't get to Tabuu-and even if we did, we'd never be able to defeat him!"

"Why not?"

All heads turned to see Professor Layton, who sat on the far end of the table with a cup of tea in his hand and a single eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Uh...well...because he's stronger than us!" Fox stuttered in reply.

"Is he? From what I've seen so far in my short time with the questers, we seem to have no trouble defeating his forces."

"Ook! Rwwahhgh!" DK grumbled as he thumped his chest.

"DK says that Tabuu nearly destroyed them last time," Luke told the professor.

"That may be true, but you still managed to beat him, correct?"

The Brawlers reluctantly admitted this was the case, as Samus called out "What exactly are you getting at, Professor?"

"I believe you may have underestimated yourselves," the Englishman replied as he took a small sip of tea. "You say that Tabuu is much stronger than you...but you are forgetting that you have two advantages over him."

"Which are...?"

"First off, you've beaten him in the past, so you know how to beat him again-something that he probably didn't anticipate. Secondly, he thinks we have given up, and that he's already won. If we are to act, it will catch him off guard, which gives us a slight advantage."

"Great idea Professor, but there's one problem," Marth spoke as he looked around the room. "Even with all our advantages, we would still be going up against a god with twice the strength since the last time we faced him. We're horribly outmatched no matter how hard we fight!"

"Not with me on your side," N rose from his seat beside Layton, as his Tepig peeked out from his jacket. "My Pokémon and I will make sure that evil blue man never threatens the worlds with darkness again."

"We'll fight too!" Luke jumped up to his feet with a determined glint in his eyes. "Professor has always told me that a gentleman fights for a just cause-and I don't know any cause more just than helping to save the world!"

This brought some chuckles as the spirits in the room rose, while smiles of courage broke out among faces. They _could_ stop Tabuu, they had a chance, and the world could in fact be saved.

"There's just one thing though," Peach yelled out over the enthusiastic babble. "How the heck are we supposed to get to Tabuu?"

"That's easy."

Snake strode into the room as Kirby followed behind him with a smile. The spy saw that everyone was staring at him with looks ranging from shock to sympathy to pride, and he took a moment to hold their attention before he spoke. "Everyone should get ready to face Tabuu and gather on the front lawn outside-the rain's nearly done. Master Hand, I need to speak with you and the villains-and Meta-Knight."

"Oh...alright then," Master Hand waved his fingers to the Brawlers. "Go prepare yourselves!"

As the crowd filtered out of the room, the villains shot looks among themselves in wonderment as to what was going on. Soon only they, Snake, Master Hand, Meta-Knight, and Kirby remained. "What is this about, Snake?" Master Hand asked in puzzlement.

The spy sighed. "First, Master Hand, I'm sorry for blaming you for everything. I couldn't give up fighting, and I shouldn't have let my anger out on you."

"I shouldn't have lost my temper at you-please, forgive me. Now, what exactly do you need to talk about?"

Snake shot a glare at the villains. "Apparently, during the time we were gone, these guys decided to make their own little team and went joyriding around in a pair of magical socks."

"POYO!" Kirby's jaw dropped as he turned red with rage and waved his pink fist at Dedede. "Poyo-POYO POYO POY-"

"Kirby! Language please!" Master Hand consoled the puffball, who shot another dirty look at a sheepish Dedede before waddling angrily out of the room.

Meta-Knight watched him leave before turning to Snake. "If you think we can use the socks to get to Tabuu, I'm afraid that won't be possible. The socks transport the user to a random world-there is no way to get to a particular place."

"Er, not anymore," Wolf scratched behind one of his ears. "We sewed a few..._modifications _onto them."

"You can sew? Oh, never mind-even if you put a rocket launcher on them, it wouldn't make a difference, since we don't have the socks with us!"

"The socks are missing?" Master Hand shook his fingers and pointed at Ganondorf. "Where are they?"

"With Fawful, Ghirahim, and Bowser Jr."

"Oh Ghirahim...he's a piece of work alright. Give me a second." The hand shook himself briefly and then splayed his fingers in silence.

"Master Hand? What are you doing?"

"I'm getting those socks back." Seeing the group's expressions, he laughed lightly. "Crazy made them for him and me when we were young. Although they no longer fit, they still carry our power to make portals to other worlds-and I can use my powers to pull them back to me."

Snake still had one last question. "What about the villains who currently used the socks? Won't they be stuck in whatever world they're currently in?"

Master Hand seemed to give Snake a long look. "The three villains will be stuck, but seeing that they've managed to get to Disney World, I don't think they'll mind the missing socks."

The spy nodded, while the others tried to figure out what world was made entirely of a strange thing called Disney.

"Aha!" With a poof, the magical socks appeared in a heap on the ground, which Snake scooped up as Master Hand continued to talk. "So, we use the socks to get from our world to Tabuu's and then fight him, rescue Rosalina, and save the universe from impending destruction?"

"That's the plan."

"Well, let's get going gentlemen-we have some worlds to save."

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><p>It was time. Everyone had gathered on the lawn overlooking the lake with confidence in their eyes, ready to beat back the darkness that loomed on their horizon. Master Hand, Crazy Hand, Mario, and Snake stood at the front of the group, with the Italian plumber clenching the magic socks in his gloved fists.<p>

"My friends," Master Hand boomed out, "today, we face an old enemy who has a hungering for revenge. He believes he is superior to us, and that he will destroy everything we stand for with one blow. However, he has forgotten one thing: we are fighters! Tabuu has underestimated just how hard we will fight to defeat him, and that will be his downfall! So today my friends, we fight with old companions and new ones, and we remember the ones that have been taken from us. Never forget this day! This is the day that you looked defeat in the eyes and stood your ground-this is the day that you stopped the end of the world. This day is one where good shall prevail against evil, and light shall conquer the darkness! This is that moment! Seize it with everything you've got, and never give in! Hold your heads with pride and fight with glory, for we are Brawlers-and Brawlers never back down from a fight!"

"Here we GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mario crowed to the air as he threw one sock inside the other and hurled the single sock to the ground behind him. A giant portal burst forth from the spot, swirling and dancing with multi-colored lights that amped up the group.

"You heard Master Hand! Let's KICK SOME ASS!" Ike raised Ragnell above his head, while Peach gave a chilling war cry as she hoisted her frying pan.

With this cry, the Brawlers surged forward with yells of their own, as Snake, Mario, and the Hands joined the group and moved together as one mass. Crazy Hand zoomed ahead and through the portal with a cry of "FOR !" as the Brawlers raced after him and into the final battle.

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><p><strong>I originally planned to have this chapter be part of the previous update, but I didn't want to flip the mood of one section completely on its head. This one's a bit on the short side (I believe it may be the shortest one yet), but don't let that stop you from enjoying it! The next chapter's my big one-the final battle between the Brawlers and Tabuu's forces! Expect some answers to your questions, a whole lot of action, and one final twist!<strong>

**Thanks to all my loyal readers, my reviewers, and my readers/reviewers! If you haven't reviewed yet, now's the perfect opportunity to do so (the review box is right there, after all). If you've already reviewed, your penname will be on the big THANK YOU page that I'll post when I finish this story. There's not a whole lot of time left before this ends, so add your comments/criticism NOW!**

**Until next time!**


	18. The Final Battle

**Hello dear readers. I'm terribly sorry this update is so late- I was aiming to put it up last week, but unfortunately I got terribly sick. This is my first day back writing, and I thank you all for being patient. **

**This is the longest chapter, and the final chapter-after this will be the epilogue and the thanks page. I wish to tank all the readers who have been reading this since I first posted _Stars _nine months ago. It's been an incredible nine months, and the fact that I managed to come this far is astounding. You guys are the best fans an author could ask for! **

**Okay, enough talk-let's get to the chapter! I won't put anything at the end this time, but remember to review! :D**

***Nintendo owns (mostly) everything***

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><p>Chapter 17: The Final Battle<p>

Tabuu gazed out with a confident air over the small world he had created, a world that was as opposite to Master Hand's world as he was to the hand. A vast stretch of blue crystal made up the ground, with numerous pillars and spikes of crystal rising up with pointed arms to pierce the rolling purple clouds above them. These spikes surrounded a large plateau made of the same crystal, where more spikes encircled a large crystal pillar that towered far above the earth. Everything glistened in a cold, alien light, as if the entire world was covered in a thick icy layer. The god of Subspace hissed in soft triumph, as his multi-colored wings scraped the crystal plateau. Satisfied, he turned to look behind him with a smirk at the large pillar, where his greatest accomplishment was. "It is nearly time for the end of the world, my dear-I hope you're prepared."

Rosalina was chained to the pillar with long glowing chains of light that illuminated her pale features, unable to move as the chains cut into her wrists and ankles and pinned her to the cold crystal. She gave no indication that she had heard him, not even lifting her head from her chest to respond. The princess knew she was defeated- the end had come, and nothing could be done. She was finished, and so was the rest of the world.

"Now don't feel so sad-be proud! You will be ushering a new world!"

Now Rosalina lifted her head and gazed at Tabuu with hollow eyes. "Why?" She rasped at the god, "Why are you doing this?"

Tabuu lazily slinked over to stare down at the princess. "Why?" He echoed her question with disdain. "Because unlike Master Hand, I believe it is our right to weird awesome power to our benefit, and not to shy away from it like a mangy dog." He spread his arms wide and gestured at the crystalline landscape as he continued "You already know that the power of the Smash Balls come from a crystal with immense energy, one that Master Hand and Crazy Hand used with permission from the great dragons. The energy of the crystal can be used to unleash devastating attacks like a Final Smash...but there is a secret. A secret that has been kept from both the Hands and the dragons...a secret I know."

"What secret is that?"

He smirked a moment as he broke off a piece of crystal and rolled it between his hands. "Have you ever wondered what becomes of shooting stars, Princess? What happens to these innocent beings when they crashed into the earth?"

Rosalina's eyes widened in horror as she grasped the meaning of his words. "You mean-"

"Yes, my dear-all the crystals you see before you are the souls of fallen stars. When a star falls to earth, if its heart is pure and innocent and the circumstances are just right, it will crystallize upon hitting the ground. "Tabuu chuckled as Rosalina feebly struggled. " No need to get angry-I managed to save a few of your precious stars...of course, they obey me now." The god waited a moment before giving her another smirking glance. "Yet this is not even the greatest part yet: the best part is how this will lead to the world's destruction."

"You'll channel the power of the stars," Rosalina answered softly without looking at Tabuu. "You'll use it to destroy the world."

The god paused, then reached out and tilted up Rosalina's chin with his hand. "No Princess," he whispered softly with a deadly edge to his words, "only the purest of souls can withstand the energy of a single star-and there are hundreds that will be used. _You_ will be the one to destroy the world." As her face paled, Tabuu ran a finger across her jaw line in thought, making the princess shudder with disgust. "Such a pity too-the one who will use the souls of the stars is the same person who watched over them."

"I...I won't do it," Rosalina spat, making Tabuu's eyes grow dark with anger.

"Oh you will, for you have no other choice." He pulled his hand away as he stepped back. "I _will_ make you watch as your friends scream for mercy, as darkness covers all worlds-and they will curse your name, enchantress. You are the angel of Death, and you will either serve me willingly or by force."

"No! The Brawlers will stop you!"

"The Brawlers?" Tabuu roared with laughter now. "The fools don't even know where we are-there is no way to get to this world. This is the end, my dear-you've lost, I've won. Accept this and prepare yourself."

As Tabuu turned his back on the princess, Rosalina tried to quell the sorrow welling up in her chest. There was no way she would end the world-but it seemed as though there was no other choice. Even the Brawlers couldn't save her now-she had failed in all she had set out to do. A single tear ran down her cheek as memories of the past few days raced through her head, along with the name of someone she had grown to truly love. With a shaky breath, she let out a soft whisper, as hope slowly began to fade in her heart. "I wish he could have known."

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><p>"This place is certainly creepy," Pit muttered as the Hands and the Brawlers crept silently through the crystal world.<p>

"The silence is quite unnerving," Layton agreed with the angel as he gestured for Luke to stay close to him. "I thought that Tabuu would have had some of his monsters around here."

"Tabuu thinks he's won-why would he need to have any kind of force?" Samus argued. "He doesn't need protection when he thinks we've given up."

"Quiet!" Snake hissed as he motioned for the group to stop behind a large spike. Examining the crystal, he turned to Master Hand in surprise. "I've seen this before-N used some of this in Unova to create a Final Smash."

"This is the crystal I used to create Smash Balls," Master Hand remarked in shock. "I wonder why Tabuu would need it...everyone; take a small chunk of crystal. You may need to use a Final Smash against Tabuu-but don't take more than one, or you'll run out of energy before you can strike."

The group silently obeyed Master Hand's instructions, until Toon Link pointed and softly exclaimed. "Look! Tabuu!"

Snake looked to where the boy pointed to see a giant crystal plateau, upon which the blue figure of Tabuu stood. Behind him was a large pillar, and chained to it was-

"Rosalina-Tabuu's got Rosalina chained to some kind of pillar!" N pointed out as the others turned to look.

"She doesn't look good-whatever that devil's done to her has taken a toll," Bowser grumbled.

Snake felt red-hot anger course through his veins at the thought of anyone hurting the princess, let alone this evil blue god. _Hang in there a bit longer_, he thought as he forced himself to look away. _We're coming, and Tabuu's going to pay._ "Okay," he grumbled at Mario and Link, who stood beside him, "What's the plan?"

"Aren't you the spy?" Mario raised an eyebrow. "I usually just charge in and jump on or over whatever Bowser's set up for me."

"Well we won't be able to reach Rosalina and fight Tabuu from up there," Link mused as he surveyed the surrounding area. "Our best bet would be to divert Tabuu's attention by fighting him out in the open, and then get up to Rosalina while he is occupied."

Snake gave a nod at Link. "It's risky, but it could work. Let's go."

"What about Tabuu?" Crazy questioned as the fighters moved toward the open area surrounding the plateau. "Won't he see us?"

"Not if we're quiet."

"What should we do if he notices us?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, he just noticed us."

Everyone froze and looked up at Tabuu, who stood on the plateau in shock at seeing the Brawlers. Rosalina lifted her head to see what had caught his attention and saw the group as well, causing a warm smile to spread over her previous hopelessness. Snake caught her eyes and watched, as she seemed to swell with joy, even though Tabuu's bonds held her in place.

"I see that you managed to find me after all, Master Hand," Tabuu had apparently recovered from his shock and let his voice echo over the cold land. "Yet, all you have done is guaranteed yourself front-row seats to my victory."

"Enough of the games, Tabuu!" Master Hand shouted to the god. "Light will always destroy the darkness-it has before, and it will today!"

A sly smile spread over Tabuu. "Ah, but what happens when the darkness outnumbers the light?" He snapped his fingers and let the sudden sound ring out over the space. On cue, hundreds of twisted dark beasts leaped from the shadows, roaring and hissing in anger that crescendoed into a bone-chilling cry. Their claws and fangs gleamed dully in the crystal light, as their bloodshot eyes fixed the fighters in a death stare. Snake recognized some of the creatures to be similar to the giant bird and wolf-like creatures he had fought previously, but others had been twisted into dark beings beyond his recognition.

Tabuu's forces formed a ring around the fighters, their muscles tensed and ready for leaping as their master spoke. "Today darkness shall rise and a new era shall dawn-an era of suffering and pain, an era in which I am the god of all things!" As her flapped his wings in triumph, he looked down at his creations and snarled "Kill every last one of them-allow no blood to remain in their pathetic bodies, and make sure they never breathe again."

One of the wolf-like creatures howled, and the forces of darkness surged forward at the sound. "Brawlers-_ATTACK_!" Master Hand bellowed, as the Brawlers leaped into action and charged the oncoming beasts with their weapons drawn and screams of anger in their throats. They drew closer and closer toward each other, until they finally clashed together in a flurry of motion.

Snake managed to dodge the sharp claws of one beast, while swinging his fist in a wild punch aimed at another snarling creature. The hit connected with the creature's jaw, causing it to yelp in pain and vanish back into the snarling mass as more of its kind swarmed forward. Although he could see his friends around him fighting with all their strength, a quiet, unspoken thought crossed his mind: how many of them would survive this fight?

* * *

><p>Mario had never faced an enemy quite like the ones before him. These creatures threw themselves at him with furious rage in their eyes as they attempted to take his life from him by force, something he had never experienced in nearly twenty-six long years of rescuing princesses and kicking Koopas. Yet, he was not about to let his age get the best of him, he reckoned as he landed on another beast's head with a splat.<p>

Something knocked the air from his lungs however, and he felt himself hit the ground with a jarring thud. Mario grunted in pain and looked up to see a giant bird perched on his chest, its beak open wide to display hundreds-if not thousands-of razor-sharp teeth. It screeched in triumph at bringing down the famous plumber, and reared back in order to inflict the killing blow.

The blow never stuck, for a blazing fireball of green struck the bird. The thing hissed and swiveled its head to see Luigi standing a few feet away, his hands glowing with green fire and his eyes filled with anger. "Get off my brother," Luigi yelled at the bird, which edged away slowly with fear in its evil eyes before flying off in a shrieking blur.

The green plumber ran over and lifted his brother to his feet. "Are you okay, Mario?"

Mario stared at his brother in awe, amazed that this confidence had bloomed in the once-timid man. "You...you saved my life."

Luigi adjusted his hat with a small smile. "That's what brothers are for. Now, let's-a go!" With a high-five, the two dashed back into the fight.

* * *

><p>"Take that! And that!" Crazy shot a laser arc into the crowd of enemies, turning most of them to ash in his wake. "You're no match for my awesome powers!"<p>

"01000100 01101001 01100101 00100000 01100110 01101001 01100101 01101110 01100100 01110011 00100001!" R.O.B. beeped as he chased after a group of fleeing beasts, his mechanical arms flailing like twin killer windmills.

Snake, Layton and Luke were fighting back to back, with Snake punching anything in his way, Layton slicing enemies with his sword, and Luke drop-kicking anything that dared to come near his beloved professor. "They're definitely not letting up!" Layton yelled over the chaos.

"Professor," Luke exclaimed, "I think they're getting even stronger and tougher!"

"Tabuu won't let up until we're dead," Snake answered the duo as he sent another beast flying with a well-placed kick. Grabbing a grenade from his side, he pulled the pin and threw it with a cry of "Duck!" A loud boom echoed over the space as enemies were scattered, but the gap was immediately filled with more rushing baddies. "At this rate, we'll run out of energy before we can reach Tabuu," the spy realized aloud as he shot a glance toward Tabuu and Rosalina, who watched the spectacle from the safety of the plateau.

N's Serperior bellowed and unleashed a torrent of vines at the enemies surrounding Snake, Luke, and Layton, as N raced up to the group. "I'm worried that my Pokémon won't be able to hold on for much longer!" He told Snake with worry.

"Just keep fighting!" Snake yelled at the trainer. "Spread the word to the others; we don't give up, even if we think we're finished!"

The green-haired young man nodded and shot back into the fighting. As Snake's message spread to the Brawlers, they renewed their fight with vigor, determined to win at any cost.

* * *

><p>Soon Master Hand felt his own powers beginning to drain, as he fought enemies alongside his brother and Lucario. "Where do they get all this energy?" The hand muttered to himself.<p>

"Protein shakes!" Crazy cackled.

Lucario fired off another ball of aura as his harried thoughts slipped into his companions minds. _"We're not going to be able to finish off Tabuu if we devote all our energy to these hideous creations!"_

Just then, N rocketed over to the Hands, with his Dewott and Tepig making sure that no enemy dared to touch him. "Master Hand, Snake says that we shouldn't give up yet-we need to keep fighting!"

"Agreed-but I think we may not be able to hold these fiends off for much longer!"

"I know how to help!" N's face grew pale as he held up his crystal. "If we use our Final Smashed, we should be able to wipe out the enemy and head straight for Tabuu!" Seeing the hand's discomfort with the idea, he added, "Just trust me-I know who can help us!"

As Master Hand flung another beast away, he bellowed, "Then do it, N! Unleash your Final Smash!"

N smiled solemnly and crushed the crystal in his palm, engulfing himself in yellow flames that tingled and raced across his body. Launching himself into the sky like before, he gazed down upon the battlefield as he called out "Reshiram! Zekrom! Defend us in our time of need!"

For a split second, nothing happened, and N wondered if the dragon's powers extended this far into the world of darkness. Then the ground began to rumble and churn under the fighters' feet, as the crystalline ground cracked and busted open. With twin roars, the black and white dragons burst forth in front of the battling forces, their powerful forms suspended in the air beside N as they answered his summons.

"_So you have found the one behind the spreading darkness," _Zekrom's rumbly voice echoed in N ears as he bared his sharpened teeth.

"_It is time he pays for the wrong he has brought to the universe,"_ Reshiram answered with a hiss. Together, they opened their jaws and unleashed a rain of fire and electricity upon the enemies, then roared to the heavens above as they dove toward the ground. N descended from the sky and landed with a thud beside Lucario, who chuckled.

"_It's time to unleash my Final Smash as well," _the Aura Pokémon thought as he too shot into the air and sent a deadly beam of pure Aura power upon the enemies. It lit up the battlefield in a cool blue light, prompting the other Smashers to break their crystals and use their own Final Smashes as well.

Snake jumped onto his Final Smash's hanging ladder and shot explosive after explosive at the beasts. He paused as a sudden rumble filled the air, and looked around to see where the noise was coming from-only to dive out of the way, as Layton and Luke raced by him with a giant Ferris wheel at their heels. The English duo ran around the battlefield as the wheel crushed all who had the misfortune of falling in front of it (luckily no Smashers got in the way). The spy couldn't help but smile at the unusual Final Smash, but quickly turned his attention back to the battle.

The battlefield was pure chaos, as the enemies fled in every direction to avoid the powerful finishing attacks and the wrath of the dragon Pokémon. Tabuu watched in growing horror as his army soon became hopelessly outnumbered, and turned to face Rosalina with a look of rage. "No! This cannot happen! I will not be defeated"

"It seems as though you don't have a choice," the princess murmured as she gazed at the battle below with a smile.

The god of Subspace paused, as a deadly smile encased his face. "Oh, but there is one thing I haven't tried yet," he chuckled darkly as he looked at the crystal under his feet. "A final option-one that I know will succeed." With a quick hand motion, the chains fell away from Rosalina, who stood in puzzlement for a moment before Tabuu grabbed her arm in an unyielding grip.

"What are you doing?"

"No needs to panic, princess-now, have yourself a nice...fall." With a cackle, Tabuu let go of the princess and leaped into the air, the force of which sent Rosalina stumbling backwards and nearly over the edge of the plateau. For a moment, it looked as if she was going to regain her balance, but instead one of her feet slipped out from under her and she went tumbling backwards instead.

It wasn't a long way from the ground, but the fall gave Rosalina just enough time to pull out her star wand and mutter a few words under her breath. She landed with a blast of pure light that sent the enemies around her flying into the air, and those who had been lucky enough to escape the blast soon found themselves the target of spells as she rose to her feet. The princess blasted enemy after enemy with spell after spell, until the rest realized they couldn't best this enchantress from the stars.

"Princess!"

Rosalina turned as Snake took out a group of wolf creatures behind her with a grenade, and then stopped just a few feet away from her. "Are you okay?" He yelled as he wrestled a bird creature to the ground.

"Perfectly fine-but Snake, Tabuu's going to do something," Rosalina replied as she sent a spell into a group of creatures, turning them all to ice. "He wanted me to channel the crystal's energy to destroy the world!"

"How come he let you go then?"

"I don't know, but I think his plan may have changed!"

The spy shot a quick look at the pillar, then at Rosalina. "We need to find Master Hand," Snake told the princess firmly. "He'll know what to do-"

"We don't have time!" Rosalina shot back. "Whatever Tabuu is doing, he's going to do it right now!"

Suddenly, there was a deep groan from within the earth, a groan that sounded like a million voices crying out in agony. Rosalina and Snake looked at each other in surprise just as the ground began to shake violently beneath them, making both Brawlers and enemies fall to their knees. As the ground continued to shake, pale streams of blue light rose from the crystal ground and pillars around them, rippling and waving their way up toward the pillar on the plateau-where a terrible sight awaited the Brawlers.

Tabuu hovered above the plateau with a laugh of pure malevolence as the blue light streamed into his body. It caused the god to glow brighter and brighter as more and more light poured into his form. "What is he doing?" Master Hand's furious question rang above the confusion.

Rosalina knew exactly what Tabuu was doing: he was trying to channel the power of the crystals. "But why capture me? If he could use the crystal's power, why was I needed?"

The words of Tabuu echoed through her head. "_Only the purest of souls can withstand the energy of a single star..."_

"He thinks he will withstand the energy...but instead, he will end up killing us all," the princess realized in horror. Tabuu believed himself to be finished, and had decided to harness an uncontrollable energy in order to deal the final blow on Master Hand and the Brawlers. However, what could they possibly do to stop him?

_Only the purest of souls can withstand the energy of a single star..._

Only the purest of souls. She would have to use the crystal's energy in order to keep Tabuu from destroying her friends, even if that meant sacrificing herself for them.

Slowly, Rosalina rose to her feet and walked as if in a daze to the plateau, knowing that she could very well be walking to her death. She floated up to the plateau with a swish of her wand and came face to face with the glowing form of Tabuu, who gazed at her with mock pity. "Looks like you've failed after all, princess," he hissed triumphantly as he glowed brighter.

Rosalina said nothing and closed her eyes to focus instead. She could feel the energy of the crystal around her, and deep within her mind, she thought she heard the faint cries of the stars. It was that cry that she focused her mind on, and a single word spilled from her consciousness: come.

Those watching gasped as blue light poured from every crystal around and shot into the regal form of Rosalina, whose eyes remained closed. A golden glow soon surrounded her, and its brilliance grew to rival that of Tabuu's as more and more energy was absorbed.

"What?" Tabuu felt the cold energy of the stars leave him, and howled in fury as he saw Rosalina. "NO! The world is mine! No power can defeat me!"

"_Avert your eyes," _Reshiram warned as Zekrom covered his face and turned away from the plateau.

Rosalina felt as though thousands of Lumas hugged her with stubbly arms and embraces of pure love. The warmth of power was electrifying, but she knew that she couldn't channel it for much longer. Yet, if she released it, it would destroy everything around her-she would have to make the power implode on itself, and turn it inwards to keep it from hurting the Brawlers.

Tabuu watched with horror as the princess opened her eyes, which had become completely black and devoid of light-almost like two mini black holes. "No," he whispered hoarsely, as the world around him dissolved into silence.

With a heart-stopping scream, the light around Rosalina exploded, and the world went dark.


	19. Stars of Destiny

**Welcome. We have reached the end of Stars today, but I hope that you enjoyed reading all the chapters as much as I have enjoyed writing them. I won't say much, but feel free to leave a review. **

***Nintendo owns everything***

* * *

><p>Epilogue: Stars of Destiny<p>

Gray. The color was everywhere when Snake finally opened his eyes, his vision still burning from the brilliant light that had burst forth moments before. The ground around him, the sky overhead, everything was the same ashy shade of gray to his eyes. Even the once glowing crystal had turned to a dull cold stone in a matter of moments. The world around him seemed to be dead...but did that mean Tabuu was as well?

The confused mumblings of Snake's fellow Brawlers finally brought him back to reality, making him slowly stand up as his companions took in the sudden change. "This is depressing," Crazy commented to his brother softly.

Master Hand didn't reply, and soon each of the Brawlers saw why: the plateau and giant crystal pillar had been obliterated, and a large crater now occupied the space. Large shards of gray crystal were scattered around the rim and along the steep sides, sticking up like humongous splinters in the skin of the earth. However, they paid no mind to the debris and carnage that surrounded the massive dip in the ground.

Their attention was wholly on the pale figure that lay at the bottom of the crater.

"Oh no...is that...?" Peach looked at Mario in disbelief as the plumber gave a single somber nod.

Snake saw who it was, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. All sound seemed to rush out of the air around him as he moved toward the crater, carefully maneuvering his way to the bottom in order to reach something he didn't want to believe.

Rosalina lay as if asleep, but as Snake came to stand over her, he knew without a doubt that she was gone. Already the glow that had surrounded her in life was gone, and her face possessed the serene mask worn only in death. Snake wanted to say something, anything, but all the words seemed to dissolve in his head as he gazed at the princess. He knelt down instead to brush a stray hair out of her face with a shaking hand, as a large shadow suddenly loomed over him.

"_I was afraid this would happen,"_ Reshiram softly told the spy, her words tinged with sorrow.

Snake didn't look up at the Pokémon, but spoke anyway. "So you knew she would die? You knew, and you didn't tell her?"

"_I knew that she possessed the power to defeat Tabuu, and I knew that his defeat would come with a price. If I had told her, she still would have acted the way she did in order to stop the world from destruction."_

As much as Snake hated to admit it, he knew Reshiram was right: Rosalina would have sacrificed herself even if she knew the cost of her actions. "Is there any way...?"

The rest of his words went unspoken, but Reshiram understood what he wanted to ask. _"If I could I would return her, but I cannot-she is already gone. I'm sorry."_

Before, Snake might have been angry that he had come all this way only to watch Rosalina die. Now, only a deep sadness remained, extinguishing any anger he might have channeled. She was gone, and he was powerless to change that.

What if he had told her how he felt? Would she have been so eager to give up her life if she knew? _No,_ Snake thought to himself,_ she would have still made sure Tabuu was defeated. I just wish I could have told her..._

"Mama?"

A child-like, innocent voice broke the silence that hung over the crater. Looking up, the Brawlers spied a small tubby star creature the color of peaches, whose dark eyes were wide in disbelief and who nearly stopped floating over their head in shock. As the creature stared, more stars floated over with exclamations of surprise and shock, some even making small squeaks instead of words. Soon about fifty stars hovered above the scene; their bright colors making them stand out against the melancholy atmosphere.

One star in particular, a dark brown one with sky-colored eyes, seemed to recognize Mario, and floated swiftly down to greet the plumber. "Master Mario-and Master Luigi and Princess Peach!"

"Polari!" Luigi apparently knew the star, and gave it a sad smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Some of the Lumas and I managed to escape the destruction of the Comet Observatory, and we set out to find Princess Rosalina. One of the Lumas managed to make his way through a portal, and happened to see the princess as she travelled to other worlds. Since then, we have been trying to find her and show her that we are okay..." he trailed off as he saw Rosalina's body for the first time. A shudder seemed to pass through his plump form as he softly added, "It seems as though we've arrived much too late."

One of the smaller Lumas floated over to Polari and asked, "Why is Mama taking a nap?"

The other Lumas quickly began shouting similar questions and comments in their high-pitched voices. "This is no time for a nap, Mama!"

"Mama, wake up! We found you!"

"Why is she still sleeping?"

"Come on Mama! I want to give you a hug!"

Finally, one Luma asked quietly, "Mama's not going to wake up, is she?"

Polari faced the young Luma with tear-filled eyes and slowly shook his head.

This revelation brought silence to the stars, which looked at Rosalina and back at Polari, as if they hoped that he was lying. Some of the Brawlers (and all the villains) had to hold back tears as the cloud of Lumas drifted down toward the princess and Snake in total, heart-wrenching silence. The spy slowly moved out of the way, as the stars formed a circle around their beloved caretaker, casting a warm glow over Rosalina's face.

After a moment, a Luma's voice rang out as one of the stars hugged Rosalina. "I love you, Mama."

The other Lumas followed suit and began hugging Rosalina, burying her from view of the Brawlers. As they bunched closer and closer together, a strange glow seemed to come from within their pile.

"What are they doing?" Toon Link wondered aloud as the light grew brighter and brighter, although there was warmth to this light that the crystal's glow had lacked.

"_I don't believe it," _Lucario's eyes widened, causing Reshiram and Zekrom to look his way. _"Their Auras-they're all completely white."_

Zekrom swung his head back to the Lumas. _"Reshiram, these Luma creatures are made of an exceptional power-almost as strong as the crystal, except...purer."_

"_Love-it is the purest and most powerful energy in existence," _Reshiram replied._ "The Lumas are filled with love...and while they can bring destruction, they can also bring healing."_

"_You don't mean it can-"_

"_Watch and see, Zekrom- this is a sight that we may never see again."_

The light of the Lumas grew stronger, until it threatened to blind all who stared at it for even a moment. Then the cloud of Lumas parted to reveal Rosalina, who blazed with the power of a thousand suns. Snake and the others shielded their eyes for a split second as the glow erupted and covered the crater in light, then slowly dimmed back down until it was no more.

Rosalina, however, still had a faint halo of light around her, as if she was still alive. Polari floated by her head and whispered, "Please don't leave us, Princess."

Slowly, Rosalina's blue eyes fluttered open (amid the gasps of shock from the Brawlers), and focused on Polari, making her smile as she quietly remarked, "I would never leave you."

"MAMA!"

With squeals of joy the Lumas whirled around Rosalina in a colorful cyclone, while Snake stared in shock at the sight of the now-living princess. "It's a miracle! THIS CALLS FOR CHEESE-FOR EVERYONE!" Crazy whooped and hugged Master Hand, as all the villains dissolved into tears and Peach handed Bowser a hankie. Ike tried to kiss Samus and was kicked in a place that caused Marth to fall over laughing, while Zekrom and Reshiram let out two loud roars of joy toward the sky.

"We've done it!" Ness slapped Luke on the back, causing the poor boy to nearly fall over. "We defeated Tabuu!"

"_Yes, the world is once again in balance," _Zekrom rumbled as he lowered his head to gaze at Rosalina, making the Lumas hide behind her in alarm. _"Thank you, princess-your sacrifice has saved countless lives."_

Rosalina shook her head with a smile. "Please, do not thank just me-we all defeated Tabuu together."

"Yes, we all helped to stop the world from ending," Master Hand told the dragons. "Now though, I believe there is only one more place to go."

"_Where would that be, Hand?"_

"Home."

* * *

><p>It had been a week since that day, when Rosalina and the Brawlers had defeated Tabuu, and already the Mansion seemed almost normal again. Professor Layton, Luke, and N had decided to stay at the Mansion and become official members of the Super Smash Brothers. Rosalina and the Lumas were also staying for the time being, as more Lumas who had survived the Observatory's destruction slowly found their way to Master Hand's world. The villains finally had become heroes, and were given their own hideout in the Mansion's basement, complete with a large TV, diamond-encrusted sporks, and a hot tub that made those who weren't villains very jealous.<p>

Rosalina had been quiet since her beloved Lumas had brought her back, and had barely spoken to anyone, preferring to be by herself or with the Lumas. Today, however, she sat under a shady oak tree facing the lake-the same tree she had sat under before embarking on the quest, in fact. It was a quiet place to sit, and Rosalina felt peaceful just watching the waves brush against the lakeshore.

"Are you supposed to be out here?"

Turning her head, Rosalina saw Snake standing behind her and leaning against the tree with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. The princess smiled and replied, "Hopefully no one will notice I'm not resting inside."

The spy shrugged and slowly sank down next to Rosalina. "It's pretty chaotic in there anyway. Crazy apparently found his girlfriend and brought her here."

"Is she nice?"

"Well, she's a potato."

At this remark Rosalina laughed, as Snake chuckled along and shook his head at the ridiculous idea. Their laughter drifted off into silence as the pair watched the lake, until Snake spoke. "Do you mind if I ask a question?"

"Not at all."

"I was just wondering...what are you going to do now that all this is over?"

Rosalina had asked that same question herself over the past week. Two weeks ago, she knew her answer would have been simple: she would have taken her Lumas and returned to the cosmos. Now...now, the choice was harder to make.

After a pause, she spoke with her eyes still on the lake. "Before Tabuu's attack, I used to believe that the stars were where I was destined to belong, watching over the planets and the Lumas for eons. When I came to earth, the only thing on my mind was finding the Lumas and getting back home. That goal kept me motivated for a while...until I realized I couldn't let you and the others fight Tabuu alone. So I turned my attention to not only finding the Lumas, but to defeating Tabuu. Then..."

"Then?"

"Then I realized there were two paths I could take once Tabuu was defeated-one that seemed like the right thing to do, and one that my heart wanted to take. I had been focused all this time one getting home that I nearly missed something important-home is any place where you can be loved." A faint smile brushed over her face as she took a breath. "Someone told me that I would have to one day make a choice between my destiny and my heart-yet another told me that both would help guide me to the choice I would be happy with. I hadn't understood what this meant until..."

The rest of her sentence faded off with the breeze, giving way to silence. Rosalina kept her eyes on the lake, for she didn't want to see the look in Snake's eyes at her unspoken words, in case her assumptions had been wrong.

Snake finally spoke after a pause that seemed to last for hours. "Do you remember when Red died?"

"How could I forget it?" A sudden thought struck Rosalina, and she turned to finally look at the spy. His eyes were masked from emotion-in fact, they seemed to have no emotion whatsoever. It was as if he had reverted back to the cold, unfeeling spy she had met two weeks ago. With a bit of worry in her voice, she asked, "He whispered something to you before he died. What was it?"

Snake's eyes seemed to stare right through her, only to focus on her face as he replied, "He told me 'Don't let her go'. I had no idea what he was talking about until Tabuu came to the Mansion. When he took you away. It was then I knew I couldn't let you go-I couldn't let anything happen to you."

"Snake..." For once words seemed to elude the princess, but she finally managed to choke out a reply. "This morning, Master Hand told me that the Observatory could be rebuilt within a week, and that I could go home when it was completed."

"Oh. What did you tell him?"

A faint smile eclipsed her face, as she looked Snake in the eyes. "I told him that I was already home."

Snake seemed to take the news in shock, but slowly a smile spread to his face. The two slowly leaned closer to one another...

"OH LADY HYLIA THEY'RE GOING TO KISS!"

"EEEEEEEEEWWWW!"

"That is so GROSS!"

Ness, Lucas, and Toon Link stumbled out from behind the tree in disgust and made various gagging sounds, while Crazy Hand floated out behind them holding what appeared to be a potato. "I TOLD you boys that they would! Didn't I tell them, Gladys?" He asked the potato as the boys ran off toward the Mansion (probably to share what they had just witnessed down at the lake).

Gladys the potato made no response, while Snake appeared to have decided which way he was going to kill the hand, and Rosalina forced down a laugh. "Oh well," the hand said with a giggle as he noticed the angry glint in Snake's eyes, "looks like I probably should be going. Ciao!"

Crazy did a barrel roll and zoomed off into the air and over the lake, dipping and weaving into the air as the princess and spy soon faded from view. The hand did a couple of laps around the Mansion before finally floating down to hover above the Mansion's roof where he placed his beloved Gladys beside him. "See Gladys, I knew those two were meant for each other, just like you and I." With a slight pause indicating no response from Gladys, Crazy suddenly noticed something he hadn't realized before. "Huh...would you look at that," he murmured as he pointed at the sky, where one could see the faint glow of stars in the clear blue sky.

Rosalina saw the shining stars too. "The stars in the sky must be shining quite brightly in order to be seen during the day." Old words from her childhood flowed through her mind, and she glanced at Snake. "You know what that means?"

"It means we're in for some great times ahead."

At that moment, he couldn't have been more right.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading (and hopefully enjoying) my fanfic. It means a lot to me that people enjoy this as much as I do. :)<strong>

**The Thanks page is next, so go ahead and either leave a quick review, or go on to the next page. **


	20. Thank You

To readers, writers, and fans who have followed _Stars of Destiny_,

Hello. First, I want to thank **you**, **the reader**, for taking the time to read my story. Authors are nothing without readers, and it was because of people like you that I became a fanfiction writer. When I came up with this idea last year, I would have never suspected it would grow to become this popular. Stars of Destiny has been viewed more than 2000 times from people in nearly 20 different countries-an astounding achievement, and one that I'm still shocked by. Without your support, this would have ended long ago in the earliest chapters.

Thank you to **PureStrongPoem, Whitelilygirl, affectos1, TheMostRandomOfRandomWriters, Tune4Tunes, phazonwarrior05, ShadowofHeart, Leixym, Katana-Chan, and Ikerulesall** for giving some reviews for the chapters. All the reviews have helped me figure out which way to take the storyline (because it could have gone many ways), so I thank you for your input. I hope you enjoyed every moment of the fic.

Thanks to t**hose who have favorite and put **_**Stars**_** on their alerts**-I hope it was a thrill to be notified that I had updated (especially when I went a while without any updates)!

Special thanks to **Tune4Toons**, who was there to help point out mistakes in certain chapters, and take a look at some chapters that I wasn't sure about. You rock, Tune! :D

Thanks to **my FF buddies** who helped keep me in good spirits while I wrote this (you guys know who you are ;) ).

Thanks to **affectos1**, who not only figured out that I put a bunch of references to Portal in _Stars,_ but also asked some interesting questions. You may have figured out the Portal references, afectos1, but did you catch all the pop-culture references Crazy Hand made?

Thanks to **Richard Michael Alvarez**, the creator of _Stupid Mario Brothers_ (who probably has no idea this exists). His show on YouTube was part of the original inspiration for _Stars_, and the characterization of Solid Snake was partially based off the character from the show.

Thanks to **my family**, who still believes I'm writing a book instead of a long fanfiction. You'll read it one day!

Thanks **to whoever invented pie**. You rock.

Lastly, thank you to e**veryone who has been exceptionally awesome** toward me over the past 10 months! Authors like you make me so happy to be a part of the FF community!

Now, you're probably wondering what I'm going to write next. I originally planned to release the sequel to _Stars of Destiny_, called _Shattered Starlight_. This won't happen until maybe late August/mid-September, if I decide that _Stars_ was popular enough to get the sequel. In the meantime, I may work on _High Tide_, and possibly finish the fic I originally planned to write for the Body-Swapping Contest, but wasn't able to complete due to illness. If you want to read more, I invite you to check out my other works, and take a look at ones I have favorited-you may find something that you really enjoy!

Once again, thank you everyone!

Until next time!

-TheWordMasterOfFiction


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